Epidemiology of visceral mycoses in autopsy cases in Japan: the data from 1989 to 2009 in the Annual of Pathological Autopsy Cases in Japan

Abstract

To identify recent trends in the frequency of mycoses in autopsy cases, we analyzed, on a four-year basis, the 1989-2009 data in the Annual of Pathological Autopsy Cases in Japan. Of the 13,787 (9235 males) autopsies conducted in 2009, 4.5% (633/13,787) involved fungal infections and of the latter, 60.3% (368/633) were found to have severe clinical manifestations. Among the 610 (96.4%) cases involving a single etiologic angent, the predominant pathogens were Aspergillus (299 cases; 49%) and Candida (184 cases; 30.2%). However, it should be noted that the prevalence of severe aspergillosis and candidiasis has been decreasing. Although the frequency of cases involving zygomycetes seemed to be generally remaining stable from 1989-2009, we noted for the first time a peak in 2009 in such infections in patients less than one year old. Finally, deep-seated infections caused by unidentified fungi would appear to be decreasing over the time of the survey. Our finding, it is hoped, will encourage physicians to actively pursue viscerial fungal infections.