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A prospective, multicenter study of invasive fungal disease caused by molds in children and adults in Chile

Summary

Researchers studied serious fungal infections caused by molds in Chilean hospitals and found that aspergillus was the most common culprit, affecting both children and adults. Many patients with these infections were also suffering from COVID-19, showing how serious respiratory viruses can increase the risk of fungal complications. Good news: the study found no resistance to common antifungal medications in Chile yet, though overall survival rates remain concerning at around 60% at three months.

Background

Invasive mold diseases (IMDs) are severe complications in immunocompromised patients and an emerging problem in severely ill immunocompetent patients. This is the first comprehensive prospective study of IMDs in Chile, addressing a gap in epidemiological data for Latin America.

Objective

To describe the epidemiological and clinical features of invasive mold diseases in children and adults across multiple Chilean hospitals and compare disease patterns between these populations.

Results

176 IMD cases were identified (135 adults, 41 children) with an incidence of 0.4 per 1,000 admissions. Aspergillosis was the most frequent (75.5%), followed by mucormycosis in adults and fusariosis in children. Viral pneumonia was associated with 40.3% of cases, predominantly COVID-19. Overall survival was 68.7% at 30 days, 61.4% at 90 days, and 51.7% at 180 days.

Conclusion

This comprehensive study demonstrates that aspergillosis is the predominant IMD in Chile with no triazole resistance detected. The significant association with viral pneumonia, particularly COVID-19, highlights the evolving epidemiology of IMDs. A national surveillance program is recommended to monitor antimicrobial resistance patterns and improve clinical outcomes.
  • Published in:PLoS One,
  • Study Type:Prospective Multicenter Observational Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40920793, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330426
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