Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients
Patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often develop respiratory fungal infections. The most frequent diseases are the COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), COVID-19 associated pulmonary mucormycosis (CAPM) and the <i>Pneumocysti...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/4/415 |
| _version_ | 1827628213544681472 |
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| author | Francesca Raffaelli Eloisa Sofia Tanzarella Gennaro De Pascale Mario Tumbarello |
| author_facet | Francesca Raffaelli Eloisa Sofia Tanzarella Gennaro De Pascale Mario Tumbarello |
| author_sort | Francesca Raffaelli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often develop respiratory fungal infections. The most frequent diseases are the COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), COVID-19 associated pulmonary mucormycosis (CAPM) and the <i>Pneumocystis jirovecii</i> pneumonia (PCP), the latter mostly found in patients with both COVID-19 and underlying HIV infection. Furthermore, co-infections due to less common mold pathogens have been also described. Respiratory fungal infections in critically ill patients are promoted by multiple risk factors, including epithelial damage caused by COVID-19 infection, mechanical ventilation and immunosuppression, mainly induced by corticosteroids and immunomodulators. In COVID-19 patients, a correct discrimination between fungal colonization and infection is challenging, further hampered by sampling difficulties and by the low reliability of diagnostic approaches, frequently needing an integration of clinical, radiological and microbiological features. Several antifungal drugs are currently available, but the development of new molecules with reduced toxicity, less drug-interactions and potentially active on difficult to treat strains, is highly warranted. Finally, the role of prophylaxis in certain COVID-19 populations is still controversial and must be further investigated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:27:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c02287f6e93a4225ae6482fb9a51d59c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:27:34Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-c02287f6e93a4225ae6482fb9a51d59c2023-11-30T21:22:20ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2022-04-018441510.3390/jof8040415Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill PatientsFrancesca Raffaelli0Eloisa Sofia Tanzarella1Gennaro De Pascale2Mario Tumbarello3Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, ItalyDipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Siena, 53100 Siena, ItalyPatients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often develop respiratory fungal infections. The most frequent diseases are the COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), COVID-19 associated pulmonary mucormycosis (CAPM) and the <i>Pneumocystis jirovecii</i> pneumonia (PCP), the latter mostly found in patients with both COVID-19 and underlying HIV infection. Furthermore, co-infections due to less common mold pathogens have been also described. Respiratory fungal infections in critically ill patients are promoted by multiple risk factors, including epithelial damage caused by COVID-19 infection, mechanical ventilation and immunosuppression, mainly induced by corticosteroids and immunomodulators. In COVID-19 patients, a correct discrimination between fungal colonization and infection is challenging, further hampered by sampling difficulties and by the low reliability of diagnostic approaches, frequently needing an integration of clinical, radiological and microbiological features. Several antifungal drugs are currently available, but the development of new molecules with reduced toxicity, less drug-interactions and potentially active on difficult to treat strains, is highly warranted. Finally, the role of prophylaxis in certain COVID-19 populations is still controversial and must be further investigated.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/4/415COVID-19SARS-CoV-2respiratory fungal infectionCAPApneumocystosisCAM |
| spellingShingle | Francesca Raffaelli Eloisa Sofia Tanzarella Gennaro De Pascale Mario Tumbarello Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients Journal of Fungi COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 respiratory fungal infection CAPA pneumocystosis CAM |
| title | Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients |
| title_full | Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients |
| title_fullStr | Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients |
| title_short | Invasive Respiratory Fungal Infections in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients |
| title_sort | invasive respiratory fungal infections in covid 19 critically ill patients |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 respiratory fungal infection CAPA pneumocystosis CAM |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/4/415 |
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