Journal Article

Predisposing factors of important invasive fungal coinfections in COVID-19 patients: a review article

Goli, Mohammad, Zia, Mohammadali

2021

Overview

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has caused a devastating pandemic lasting for more than a year. To date, 47 million individuals have been infected and 1.2 million individuals have died worldwide. Some of the most important coinfections in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are opportunistic invasive fungal infections (OIFIs), which are sometimes not rapidly diagnosed and are often diagnosed after death. Aspergillosis and candidiasis are the most prevalent OIFIs in patients with COVID-19. Mycormycosis, cryptococcosis, and other fungal diseases have also been documented more rarely. This review aimed to summarize factors affecting COVID-19 transmission, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality in Iran as well as to review common OIFIs in patients with COVID-19. Immunological factors, underlying diseases, and social, cultural, and environmental factors can affect COVID-19 transmission. There is a need to improve diagnostic and therapeutic criteria for OIFIs and to optimize management procedures so that patients with OIFIs can receive treatment as rapidly as possible. Screening of patients with confirmed COVID-19 for OIFIs at the treating physician’s discretion could enable early OIFI diagnosis, treatment, and mortality reduction.

• Publisher: SAGE Publications,Sage Publications Ltd,SAGE Publishing
• Subject: Aspergillosis / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / Disease transmission / Mortality / Review / Severe acute respiratory syndrome