PREVALENCE OF FUNGAL COINFECTIONS AMONG COVID 19 PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been an emergency global public health events.COVID-19 patients, especially severely ill or immunocompromised, have higher probability of suffering from fungal coinfections. The study aims to investigate the prevalence of fungal coinfections among patients with conrmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).Aprospective study was undertaken in the Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, and Amritsar for a period of 6 months from May 2021 to October 2021. Atotal of 216 conrmed cases of COVID 19 disease were enrolled for the study. Various clinical samples obtained were processed by direct microscopic examination in 10% KOH solution, Gram stain, Calcoour white staining and culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar media. Identication of fungi was done by lacto Phenol Cotton Blue, Germ tube test and Candida CHROM agar for species identication.Out of 216 cases, 138 were culture positive. Candida species were predominant isolates with Candida albicans (49%) being the major species followed by Aspergillus species (21.7%), Mucorales (19%) and mixed growth (1%). Predominantly males were affected in the age group of 46-55 years. Most common risk factor was hypertension (42%).An increasing prevalence (63.8%) of fungal coinfections has been reported among COVID 19 patients resulting in poor patient outcome and high mortality rates. Therefore, awareness of high risk of occurrence of fungal infections is crucial to downgrade any delay in diagnosis and treatment to support the prevention of complications related to these infections.