Leveduras da mucosa oral, de cateter e de sangue de neonatos internados na UTIN (Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal) por período de 9 meses, foram avaliadas quanto ao perfil molecular pela técnica de PFGE. Dos 125 neonatos internados, 23 (18,4%) apresentaram leveduras na mucosa oral, sangue e cateter. Destes pacientes, obtivemos 54 amostras de leveduras, sendo 36 (66,7%) isoladas da colonização oral; 12 (22,2%) de sangue, seis (11,1%) de cateter. C. albicans foi a mais freqüente dentre as amostras isoladas da mucosa oral e sepse. C. parapsilosis foi a mais isolada dentre as amostras de cateter. Todas as amostras foram consideradas sensíveis aos antifúngicos. Estas amostras apresentaram atividade de pelo menos uma exoenzima. Dentre os 12 casos de sepse, 83,4% (10/12) foram causadas por espécies de Candida, sendo que, destas 10 candidemias, 60% (6/10) estiveram associadas com colonização oral prévia pela mesma espécie e perfil genotípico. A mortalidade devido a infecção sistêmica (septicemia) por leveduras,no período do estudo, foi de 91.6% .

Yeasts isolated from the oral mucosa, catheter and blood of neonates in na NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) over a period of 9 months, were were evaluated in regard to the molecular profile by PFGE technique. Of the 125 neonates studied, 23 (18.4%) presented yeast in their oral mucosa, blood, or catheter. From these 23 neonates, 54 samples of yeast were obtained; 36 (63.7%) from oral colonization, 12 (22.2%) from the blood, and 6 (11.1%) from the catheter. The most frequently encountered species among the samples isolated from the oral mucosa and blood was C. albicans; while C. parapsilosis was the species found most frequently among the samples obtained from catheters. All the samples were considered susceptible to antifungal agents tested. The samples presented activity of at least one exoenzyme. Among the 12 cases of sepsis, 10 (83.4%) were caused by species of Candida, and of these 10 cases, 6 (60%) were associated with previous oral colonization by the same species and genotypic profile. The mortality rate due to septicemia by yeasts was 91.6%.