Filamentous Fungi Infections: Yet Another Victim of COVID-19?

• Published in: Life (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 13; no. 2; p. 546
• Main Authors: Cighir, Anca, Mare, Anca Delia, Cighir, Teodora, Coșeriu, Răzvan Lucian, Vintilă, Camelia, Man, Adrian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.02.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Aspergillus spp; Cardiovascular system; Care and treatment; Comorbidity; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Diagnosis; Disease; filamentous fungi; Fungal infections; Fungi; Health risks; HIV; Hospitals; Human immunodeficiency virus; Infections; Mold; Mycoses; Neutrophils; Pandemics; Pathogens; Public health; Respiratory system; Risk factors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Statistical analysis; Transplants & implants; Viral diseases; Viral infections; Viruses; Romania; COVID-19; Aspergillus spp; filamentous fungi
• ISSN: 2075-1729; 2075-1729
• DOI: 10.3390/life13020546

Filamentous fungi have always been a matter of concern in the medical field, but nowadays, due to an increase in the risk factors and the added infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, they are slowly but surely emerging as a dangerous health threat worldwide. Our study aims to estimate the incidence of mold infections in central Romania, as well as assess the impact the pandemic had on them while evaluating other parameters such as age, associated bacterial and fungal infections and comorbidities. Purulent discharge and respiratory secretion specimens were collected and analyzed over a period of 10 years. A total of 68 samples tested positive for molds, with an increased number of positive samples during the pandemic. The highest number of specimens came from the outpatient department, followed by medical wards, with the most common filamentous fungus being . Associated diseases included affections of the respiratory system, followed by the cardiovascular system and people who suffered from a viral infection with SARS-CoV-2, and they were mostly present in seniors. The most common associated infections were with and nonalbicans. A statistically significant correlation was found between the association of mold infection and SARS-CoV-2 and an increase in mortality.