Abstract
An audit based on a specific questionnaire was attempted, in order to investigate the mycology laboratory diagnostic capacity for invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) in Greek Paediatric Haematology-Oncology departments/units. The study provided the relevant information for the years 2019 and 2020 and included data from all units, concerning culture-based methods and direct microscopy, phenotypic and molecular identification, sensitivity testing, serology and molecular diagnosis, as well as therapeutic drug monitoring. The target was mostly to reveal the level of laboratory coverage for hospitalised paediatric patients, independently of the possibility of performing the tests in the host hospital, or otherwise to refer the specimens elsewhere. In total, the current study demonstrated that the most important facilities and services regarding the IFD diagnostics for paediatric haematology-oncology patients in Greece are available and relatively easily accessible, with a reasonable turnaround time. Acting as an initial registry for further improvements, the audit can serve as a valuable approach to the actual situation and future perspectives. A national clinical mycology network under the auspices of the relevant scientific societies will probably facilitate collaboration between all the departments (clinical and laboratory) involved in invasive fungal infections and provide an easier approach to any necessary test for any hospitalised patient.
Highlights
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) comprise an important health issue, especially among immunocompromised patients, such as patients receiving chemotherapy or undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)
The number of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) was remarkably low and mostly concerned infections caused by yeasts and Aspergillus spp., as expected
All participating units provided complete and very useful feedback in order to achieve the aim of the study, which was to provide a clear and comprehensive description of the supporting diagnostic capacity in terms of mycology
Summary
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) comprise an important health issue, especially among immunocompromised patients, such as patients receiving chemotherapy or undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). They are mainly caused by opportunistic pathogens, which can be life-threatening for those with impaired immunity [1,2,3]. Immunocompromised children are vulnerable to invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) by opportunistic pathogens [6,7]. They suffer from a disease that, by nature, impairs their immunity, and on the other hand they receive immunosuppressive treatments that further diminish their ability to properly respond to infection [10]
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