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Fungal infection increases the mortality rate for coronavirus hospitalized patients


Fungi (fungi) can cause many ailments, including skin irritation and peeling. If you get a fungal disease, your risk of dying from a severe coronavirus increases.[사진=게티이미지뱅크]

Fungal (fungal) infection increases the mortality rate of seriously ill patients admitted to hospital for corona and, in particular, the death rate of patients with severe corona infected with a fungus called “Aspergillus fumigatus” reaches 80%.

It comes from the research results of an international research group, such as the University of Pharmacy of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The research team analyzed 162 cases of coronavirus and fungal coinfection and related documents during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of the study, COVID-19-related invasive fungal infection was found to cause serious complications as a secondary infection in a significant number of severe patients hospitalized for Corona. According to the research team Fungi caused by three fungi: Aspergillus, Mucorales and Candida auris infectionit may be secondary to coronary patients. That is, the risk of simultaneous infection is high. Therefore, new antifungal drugs are needed to lower the mortality rate of severely hospitalized patients with Corona.

People suck up many potentially pathogenic fungal spores every day, but the immune system eliminates them relatively easily. However, people who have undergone transplant surgery, immunocompromised patients such as cancer patients and ICU patients can encounter serious problems. This is because the interaction between the pathogen and the host is different. Professor Gustavo Henrique Goldman of the University of Sao Paulo University of Pharmacy, Brazil, who led the research team, said: “With few therapies capable of effectively treating fungal infections, the death toll of fungal infections it is much higher than the total of deaths from malaria and tuberculosis is happening, “he said. He also added that it is not surprising that fungal diseases are exploiting (attacking) the countless number of hospitalized corona patients.

According to the research team Corona-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA)it affects on average 10% of patients with acute respiratory failure admitted to intensive care. The lead author of the study, Dr. Martin Hoenigl, a professor at the University of California at San Diego and a professor at the University of Graz in Austria, said: “Patients infected with both the coronavirus and the Aspergillus fungus have a 2 risk of die compared to those infected with the corona virus alone, twice as much, “he said. Aspergillosis can remain infected for several days in the upper respiratory tract and can be suppressed with antifungal drugs. However, once the fungus invades the blood vessels of the lungs, the death rate is over 80% even with systemic antifungal drugs.

Furthermore Corona-associated candidiasis (CAC)it is observed almost exclusively in ICU patients and has not occurred more frequently in coronavirus patients than in patients with other diseases. However, a recently emerging fungus, Candida auris, can colonize the skin and is the only fungus that can infect humans, causing serious problems. In particular it is resistant to all known antifungal drugs and exists in various environments. Hospital ventilators, catheters, and other invasive life support equipment can easily infect hospitalized patients.

In India, the number of infections doubled during the pandemic “Corona associated fungal infection (CAM)” Serious. In India alone, more than 47,500 cases of hair fungus occurred between May and August 2021. Mucositis can occur in the eyes, nose and brain. The death rate rises to 14% when co-infected with the corona virus and hair fungus. Fungal infection of the hair can cause necrosis, causing the patient to have facial deformities. In particular, if the fungus invades the lungs or spreads throughout the body, the death rate can significantly rise to 80%. In India, 0.27% of hospitalized coronavirus patients are infected with hair fungus.

The research team pointed out that the diagnostic rate of fungal infection is extremely low, especially in underdeveloped countries, and said there is a need to expand diagnostic tests, such as 100% confirmation of aspergillosis through bronchoscopy. He also said that a new type of antifungal drug has been developed and is in phase 2/3 clinical trials. The results of this study (COVID-19 associated fungal infections) were published in the international scientific journal Nature Microbiology and introduced by Eurekalert, a portal managed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

By Kim Young-seop, staff reporter [email protected]

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