Fungal infections become more deadly when COVID-19 is involved, according to research.
A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has uncovered alarming mortality rates among patients hospitalized for COVID-associated fungal infections. The data showed a significant disparity when compared to fungal infections unrelated to the virus during the pandemic era.
The study, led by Dr. Jeremy Gold and his team at the CDC in Atlanta, shed light on the severity of the issue.
Between 2020 and 2021, the mortality rate for in-hospital COVID-associated fungal infections stood at a staggering 48.5%. In contrast, the mortality rate for non-COVID-associated fungal infections was 12.3%.
The researchers highlighted specific fungal infections linked to COVID-19 that exhibited the highest mortality rates, including aspergillosis (57.6%), invasive candidiasis (55.4%), mucormycosis (44.7%) and unspecified mycoses (59.0%).
These findings aligned with previously reported data, which also indicated higher COVID-associated deaths involving Candida and Aspergillus, according to MedPage Today.
Dr. Gold and his colleagues emphasized the importance of maintaining a high level of clinical suspicion for fungal infections in high-risk patients, particularly those with COVID-19. The study underscored the need for enhanced surveillance of fungal diseases to detect emerging trends and guide appropriate interventions.
The study analyzed a total of 59,212 fungal infection hospitalizations spanning from 2019 to 2021. Rates per 10,000 hospitalizations showed an increase from 22.3 in 2019 to 25.0 in 2020 and further to 26.8 in 2021. The average annual percentage change in the rates was calculated to be 8.5%.
From 2020 to 2021, 13.4% of the 39,423 fungal hospitalizations were associated with COVID. The rates of COVID-associated fungal hospitalizations per 10,000 COVID hospitalizations rose by 24.9%.
The hospitalizations resulted in longer stays, with a median duration of 21…
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