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Candidemia infection remains a critical challenge in intensive care units (ICUs), with high morbidity and mortality rates despite advances in therapeutic practices. This multicenter prospective surveillance study assessed the epidemiology, clinical management, and mortality predictors of candidemia in critically ill patients across two periods (2010–2012 and 2017–2018) in 11 tertiary hospitals in Brazil. Among 314 ICU patients with candidemia, the overall mortality rate was 60.2%, with no significant reduction over time (58.8% vs. 62.6%, p = 0.721). Candida albicans was the predominant pathogen (43.6%), followed by C. tropicalis (20%) and C. glabrata (13.7%). The use of echinocandins increased significantly in the second period (21.1% to 41.7%, p < 0.001); however, 70% of patients still did not receive these agents as first-line therapy. Catheter removal due to candidemia was performed in only 52.1% of cases but was associated with improved 30-day survival (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified cancer, inadequate treatment, and vasoactive drug use as independent predictors of mortality. Our findings underscore persistent gaps in adherence to guidelines, particularly regarding timely echinocandin initiation and catheter removal. Strengthening therapeutic strategies focused on these key interventions is essential to improving outcomes for ICU patients with candidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Invasive candidiasis (IC) represents a significant threat to both mortality and morbidity, especially among vulnerable populations. Intra‐abdominal candidiasis (IAC) frequently occurs in critically ill and cancer patients, with these specific groups carrying a heightened risk for such invasive fungal infections. Despite this, there is a noticeable lack of attention to IAC in cancer patients within the literature, highlighting a critical gap that requires urgent consideration. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of IAC and identify prognostic factors in a cancer centre in a middle‐income country over 10 years. Patients/Methods: A retrospective cohort observational study of adults diagnosed with IAC was conducted at the Instituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), a tertiary hospital specialising in oncological diseases with 499 beds, including 85 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, from December 2009 through May 2021. Results: A total of 128 episodes were included: 67.2% admitted to the ICU; 54.7% males; and median age 62 years. The predominant diagnosis was peritonitis (75.8%). Blood culture samples were collected from 128 patients upon admission, revealing candidemia in 17.2% (22). The most frequently isolated were C. albicans (n = 65, 50.8%) and C. glabrata (n = 42, 32.8%). Antifungal treatment was administered to 91 (71%) patients, with fluconazole (64.8%) and echinocandins (23.4%) being the most common choices. A significant proportion of these patients had a history of abdominal surgery or antibiotic use. Independent factors associated with 30‐day mortality included the median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score of 6 (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.094–1.562, p = 0.003), days of treatment (median 10.5) (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.870–0.993, p = 0.031) and abdominal source control (78.1%) (OR = 0.148, 95% CI 0.030–0.719, p = 0.018). The 30‐day mortality rate was 41.1%. Conclusions: Our study underscores the critical importance of implementing effective source control as a key strategy for reducing mortality in IAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The radiological manifestations of central nervous system (CNS) cryptococcosis are diverse and often subtle. There is heterogeneity on how different neuroimaging patterns impact prognosis. This study aims to assess the association between the neuroimaging and clinical outcomes of CNS cryptococcosis. Methods: All patients with CNS cryptococcosis between July 2017 and April 2023 who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. The primary outcome was mortality during hospitalisation. Secondary outcomes were readmission, ventricular shunting, duration of hospitalisation and time to the first negative cerebrospinal fluid culture. We compared the outcomes for each of the five main radiological findings on the brain MRI scan. Results: We included 46 proven CNS cryptococcosis cases. The two main comorbidity groups were HIV infection (20, 43%) and solid organ transplantation (10, 22%), respectively. Thirty‐nine patients exhibited at least one radiological abnormality (85%), with the most common being meningeal enhancement (34, 74%). The mortality rates occurred at 11% (5/46) during hospitalisation. We found no significant disparities in mortality related to distinct radiological patterns. The presence of pseudocysts was significantly associated with the need for readmission (p =.027). The ventricular shunting was significantly associated with the presence of pseudocysts (p =.005) and hydrocephalus (p =.044). Conclusion: In this study, there is no association between brain MRI findings and mortality. Larger studies are needed to evaluate this important issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advanced neuroimaging demonstrated that neurological involvement occurs in up to 30% of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) cases. Current knowledge of neuroparacoccidioidomycosis (NPCM) is based on a 2009 systematic review. However, in the last decade, several new cases have been published, with modern neuroimaging techniques. Objectives: We believe a new systematic review is needed to summarise these advances. Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and LILACS for studies from January 2010 to May 2022. Case series and case reports of NPCM were included. We performed a metaproportion to estimate a summary proportion with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Thirty‐four studies including 104 patients were evaluated. We combined our data with the results from the previous review that included 257 cases, totalling 361 patients. We found no new important demographic, clinical or laboratory characteristics. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we found that 72% (95%CI: 38–91) had hyperintensity on T1‐weighted image; 84% (95%CI: 71%–92%) had hypointensity on T2‐weighted image; 80% (95%CI: 66–89) had contrast enhancement with the classical ring‐enhancing pattern. All 8 patients undergoing spectroscopy presented lipid peaks. We found a 16% mortality, lower than in the previous review (44%). Conclusion: NPCM presents a characteristic pattern on MRI that may help to differentiate it from other causes of single or multiple brain lesions. Albeit there is a frequent pattern, it is not specific, as other granulomatous diseases may show similar findings. Advances in neuroimaging with early diagnosis and appropriate management of the disease may have contributed to reducing its mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fingolimod is a sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator used to treat multiple sclerosis. While fingolimod has been associated with an increased risk of cryptococcal meningitis, its correlation with other deep mycoses remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a scoping review of fingolimod associated with histoplasmosis, based on a case report, a literature review, and data from the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) as of January 24th, 2023. A 30-year-old Brazilian woman diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, receiving a daily dose of 0.5 mg of fingolimod, presented with a two-month history of fever and unintended weight loss, accompanied by lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and lung involvement was investigated. Biopsy of a lung nodule revealed fungal structures suggestive of Histoplasma sp. Additionally, serological testing yielded positive for Histoplasma capsulatum. Disseminated histoplasmosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile syndromes in patients undergoing fingolimod therapy for multiple sclerosis, particularly in the Americas, where this mycosis is endemic. Treatment with itraconazole and modification of immunotherapy can achieve excellent clinical outcomes.

Naganishia albida (Cryptococcus albidus) is considered saprophytic fungi, and is rarely reported as a human pathogen. Cutaneous infections caused by non-neoformans cryptococcus are rare. We describe a case of an immunocompetent older male with cutaneous cryptococcosis caused by Naganishia albida following skin trauma, and conduct a literature review in PubMed, Lilacs, and Embase. Only six previous similar reports were found. The seven cases (including ours) were widely distributed geographically (Brazil, the US, the UK, Hungary, South Korea, and Iran), all males, and their ages varied, ranging from 14 to 86 years. Four individuals had underlying skin diseases (Sezary Syndrome, psoriasis, and skin rash without etiology) plus potentially immunosuppressive underlying conditions (diabetes mellitus, kidney transplantation, and the use of etanercept, adalimumab, and methylprednisolone). Cutaneous presentation was polymorphic, with lesions characterized as warts, ulcers, plaques, and even macules. Two patients presented disseminated disease. Serum cryptococcal antigen was negative in six patients, and diagnosis was made by fungal culture in all. There is a lack of data on optimal antifungal treatment and outcomes.

Cryptococcosis is traditionally associated with immunocompromised patients but is increasingly being identified in those without the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or other immunocompetent individuals. We aim to describe the characteristics, mortality, and associated variables with death among hospitalized patients with cryptococcosis in Brazil. This is the first multicenter retrospective cohort study conducted in seven public tertiary Brazilian hospitals. A total of 384 patients were included; the median age was 39 years and 283 (73.7%) were men. In all, 304 HIV-positive were hosts (79.2%), 16 (4.2%) solid organ transplant (SOT), and 64 (16.7%) non-HIV-positive/non-transplant (NHNT). Central nervous system (CNS) cryptococcosis had a significantly higher number across disease categories, with 313 cases (81.5%). A total of 271 (70.6%) patients were discharged and 113 (29.4%) died during hospitalization. In-hospital mortality among HIV-positive, SOT, and NHNT was 30.3% (92/304), 12.5% (2/16), and 29.7% (19/64), respectively. Induction therapy with conventional amphotericin B (AMB) mainly in combination with fluconazole (234; 84.2%) was the most used. Only 80 (22.3%) patients received an AMB lipid formulation: liposomal (n = 35) and lipid complex (n = 45). Most patients who died belong to the CNS cryptococcosis category (83/113; 73.4%) when compared with the others (P = .017). Multivariate analysis showed that age and disseminated cryptococcosis had a higher risk of death (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.05; P = .008 and OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.01-3.53; P = .048, respectively). Understanding the epidemiology of cryptococcosis in our settings will help to recognize the burden and causes of mortality and identify strategies to improve this scenario., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Mucormycosis is a rare, sometimes severe fungal infection that has emerged as a possible complication of COVID-19. We report a case of a non-diabetic, apparently immunocompetent patient diagnosed with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis shortly after COVID-19 treatment with dexamethasone. The patient received optimized systemic antifungal therapy and extensive surgical treatment. So far, four months after the last hospital discharge, the patient has been in good general condition. This case is a dramatic reminder that beneficial corticosteroid therapy in general inevitably carries a risk of opportunistic infection, and corticosteroid therapy for COVID-19 risks orbital-rhinocerebral mucormycosis that clinicians should watch for with vigilance., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors did not have any conflict of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s).)