Exploring Risk for Invasive Pulmonary Mold Infection in Severe COVID-19

In a retrospective study in France, only 4.8% of patients requiring mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 met stringent criteria for an invasive fungal infection.

Influenza-associated pneumonia is a risk factor for invasive fungal infections (IFI), including aspergillosis. Is this also true for COVID-19 as a risk factor? Incidence of IFI following severe COVID-19 pneumonia was examined at five intensive care units in a large French hospital.

During March and April 2020, 475 respiratory samples and 532 serum samples were obtained from 145 patients with severe COVID-19 necessitating mechanical ventilation, 73 of whom were receiving veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. In 39 patients (27%), one or more fungal samples were positive. However, in 25 of these patients, the tests were deemed either falsely positive or clinically irrelevant (due to a positive test not involving culture or a single …

Reviewing Author

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Exploring Risk for Invasive Pulmonary Mold Infection in Severe COVID-19

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Reviewing Author