A B-D-Glucan Driven Antifungal Stewardship Approach for Invasive Candidiasis

Inclusion Criteria: * a. adult (≥ 18 year) patients; b. signed informed consent before surgical procedure; c. severe sepsis or septic shock; d. at least one of the following conditions: i) post-operative peritonitis, ii) recurrent gastrointestinal perforation, iii) post-operative hepatobiliary and/or pancreatic disorders including necrotizing pancreatitis, iv) post-operative intra-abdominal abscess, and v) anastomotic leak. Exclusion Criteria: * a. diagnosis of candidiasis before the enrollment b. exposure in the past 30 days to any antifungal treatment or diagnosis of invasive fungal infection; c. pregnancy or lactation; d. history of allergy to any of the antifungal drugs; e. major immunosuppression conditions including: i. neutropenia (\<0.5 × 109 neutrophils/L \[\<500 neutrophils/mm3\] for \>10 days), ii. receipt of an allogeneic stem cell transplant or solid organ transplantation, iii. inherited severe immunodeficiency (such as chronic granulomatous disease or severe combined immunodeficiency), iv. HIV infection with lymphocyte T CD4+ cell count \< 200/mmc. f. patients with poor prognosis or unable to sign informed consent.