Background: In intensive care units, invasive fungal infections have become more
common, particularly among immunocompromised patients. Early identification and
starting the treatment of those patients with antifungal therapy is critical for preventing
unnecessary use of toxic antifungal agents. Objective: The aim of this research is to
determine which common fungi cause invasive fungal infection in immunocompromised
patients, as well as their antifungal susceptibility patterns in vitro, in Assiut University
Hospitals. Methodology: This was a hospital based descriptive study conducted on 120
patients with clinical suspicion of having fungal infections admitted at different Intensive
Care Units (ICUs) at Assiut University Hospitals. Direct microscopic examination and
inoculation on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) were performed on the collected
specimens. Isolated yeasts were classified using phenotypic methods such as
chromogenic media (Brilliance Candida agar), germ tube examination, and the Vitek 2
system for certain isolates, while the identification of mould isolates was primarily based
on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Moulds were tested in vitro for
antifungal susceptibility using the disc diffusion, and yeast were tested using Vitek 2
device cards. Results: In this study, 100 out of 120 (83.3%) of the samples were positive
for fungal infection. Candida and Aspergillus species were the most commonly isolated
fungal pathogens. The isolates had the highest sensitivity to Amphotericin B (95 %),
followed by Micafungin (94 %) in an in vitro sensitivity survey. Conclusion: Invasive
fungal infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised
patients, with Candida albicans being the most frequently isolated yeast from various
clinical specimens; however, the rise in resistance, especially to azoles, is a major
concern.
Emerging fungal infections in immunocompromised patients
