Fungi present an important group of pathogens causing nosocomial infection in critically ill patients. Preventive administration of anti-fungal agents is considered to be one of the possible preventive measures to decrease the incidence of fungal infections in critically ill patients. In our study we evaluated the effect of prophylactic administration of low dose fluconazole on the fungal colonization and infection in patients without neutropenia. Fluconazole was administered in the dose of 100 mg intravenously once daily during the whole stay in the intensive care unit (group F, n = 18), the control group was not give fluconazole (group C, n = 20), There was not observed differences in colonization by fungi between the two groups. There was not observed systemic infection. Blood cultures were negative. There was observed a higher incidence of non-albicans stems of Candida in group F. We did not observe any Candida albicans infection resistant to fluconazole in any patient of the group. Prophylactic administration of fluconazole in non-neutropenic critically ill patients can not be routinely recommended.

        Key words: nosocomial infection – fungi – fluconazole – intensive care