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ISSN 2063-5346
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Fungal co-infections in COVID19 patients

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Priyanka Sawant, Deepak Shinde, Nasira Shaikh, Vijaykumar Chincholkar
» doi: 10.48047/ecb/2023.12.1.377

Abstract

As the COVID-19 infection may induce significant and persistent lymphopenia, the risk of acquiring secondary fungal infections was increased in the midst of this pandemic. Common fungal pathogens in severe COVID19 patients are Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. but infections Mucormycosis may be found. Material And Method: Data was analysed retrospectively from mycology laboratory at Microbiology department, Dr. V. M. Government Medical College, Solapur during MAY 2021 to SEP 2021. Samples from suspected cases of COVID 19 associated fungal infections were considered only in this study. After receiving, samples were subjected to 10% KOH mount and each sample was cultured on two Sabouraud dextrose agar slant of which one was kept at 25°C and other at 37°C and observed for fungal growth till 3 weeks. Depending on whether isolate was a Yeast or mould standard microbiology technique including germ tube, LPCB stain etc. were used to identify fungus. Result: Total 701 samples of suspected COVID-19 associated fungal infections were analysed, of which Out of 88 fungal culture positive patients 54(61.34%) were male and 34(38.66%) were female. In our study out of 701 COVID 19 patients KOH positive and culture positive percentage were 30.67% and 12.55% respectively. sensitivity and specificity of culture in comparision with KOH is 40.93% and 100% respectively. In all (n=701) samples 613 were negative for fungal growth while remaining had maximum Rhizomucor species(51.13%), followed by Candida (18.18%) Aspergillus spp. (15.90%) and while 14.77% of other fungal isolates includes Fusarium, Chrysonilia & Bipolaris.

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