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Kakehi A, Hagiya H, Iio K, Nakano Y, Ihoriya H, Taira Y, Nakamoto K, Hasegawa K, Higashikage A, Otsuka F. Candida dubliniensis fungemia in a patient with severe COVID-19: A case report. J Infect Chemother 2022; 28:1433-1435. [PMID: 35863730 PMCID: PMC9293379 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/30/2022]
Abstract
Candida dubliniensis phenotypically mimics Candida albicans in its microbiological features; thus, its clinical characteristics have yet to be fully elucidated. Here we report the case of a 68-year-old Japanese man who developed C. dubliniensis fungemia during treatment for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The patient was intubated and received a combination of immunosuppressants, including high-dose methylprednisolone and two doses of tocilizumab, as well as remdesivir, intravenous heparin, and ceftriaxone. A blood culture on admission day 11 revealed Candida species, which was confirmed as C. dubliniensis by mass spectrometry. An additional sequencing analysis of the 26S rDNA and ITS regions confirmed that the organism was 100% identical to the reference strain of C. dubliniensis (ATCC MYA-646). Considering the simultaneous isolation of C. dubliniensis from a sputum sample, the lower respiratory tract could be an entry point for candidemia. Although treatment with micafungin successfully eradicated the C. dubliniensis fungemia, the patient died of COVID-19 progression. In this case, aggressive immunosuppressive therapy could have caused the C. dubliniensis fungemia. Due to insufficient clinical reports on C. dubliniensis infection based on definitive diagnosis, the whole picture of the cryptic organism is still unknown. Further accumulation of clinical and microbiological data of the pathogen is needed to elucidate their clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Kakehi
- Microbiology Division, Clinical Laboratory, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Hideharu Hagiya
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
| | - Koji Iio
- Microbiology Division, Clinical Laboratory, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakano
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Hiromi Ihoriya
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yuki Taira
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Kenta Nakamoto
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Kou Hasegawa
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Akihito Higashikage
- Microbiology Division, Clinical Laboratory, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Fumio Otsuka
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
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Machado M, Estévez A, Sánchez-Carrillo C, Guinea J, Escribano P, Alonso R, Valerio M, Padilla B, Bouza E, Muñoz P. Incidence of Candidemia Is Higher in COVID-19 versus Non-COVID-19 Patients, but Not Driven by Intrahospital Transmission. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8030305. [PMID: 35330307 PMCID: PMC8950429 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
There is scarce information on the actual incidence of candidemia in COVID-19 patients. In addition, comparative studies of candidemia episodes in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients are heterogeneous. Here, we assessed the real incidence, epidemiology, and etiology of candidemia in COVID-19 patients, and compared them with those without COVID-19 (2020 vs. 2019 and 2020, respectively). We also genotyped all C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis isolates (n = 88), causing candidemia in both groups, providing for the first time a genotypic characterization of isolates gathered in patients with either COVID-19 or non-COVID-19. Incidence of candidemia was higher in patients with COVID-19 than non-COVID-19 (4.73 vs. 0.85 per 1000 admissions; 3.22 vs. 1.14 per 10,000 days of stay). No substantial intergroup differences were found, including mortality. Genotyping proved the presence of a low number of patients involved in clusters, allowing us to rule out rampant patient-to-patient Candida transmission. The four patients, involved in two clusters, had catheter-related candidemia diagnosed in the first COVID-19 wave, which demonstrates breaches in catheter management policies occurring in such an overwhelming situation. In conclusion, the incidence of candidemia in patients with COVID-19 is significantly higher than in those without COVID-19. However, genotyping shows that this increase is not due to uncontrolled intrahospital transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Machado
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Agustín Estévez
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Carlos Sánchez-Carrillo
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Guinea
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Escribano
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Alonso
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maricela Valerio
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Padilla
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Bouza
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Muñoz
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-C.); (J.G.); (P.E.); (R.A.); (M.V.); (B.P.); (E.B.); (P.M.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Akhmedov VA. Correction of intestinal microbial composition disturbances as a potential link in complex therapy of patients with COVID-19. TERAPEVT ARKH 2022; 94:277-282. [DOI: 10.26442/00403660.2022.02.201388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The article reflects the potential for correcting intestinal microbiota disorders in the complex therapy of patients with COVID-19. It has been noted that the inclusion of dietary fiber in the diet contributes to protection against disruption of the integrity of the intestinal barrier and may limit bacterial translocation into the systemic circulation. The possibility of using psyllium (Mucofalk) is reflected, the action of which is realized both through its sorption, cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties in viral lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, and through stimulation of the own beneficial intestinal microbiota. The paper presents studies of the prospects for the use of probiotics, synbiotics in the complex therapy of patients with COVID-19. Detailed data are provided on the mechanisms of the positive effect of short-chain fatty acid preparations on reducing the severity of the disease in patients with COVID-19. It was noted that taking the drug Zacofalk leads to a significant increase in its own butyrate-producing microbiota (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) and suppression of the growth of opportunistic flora with pro-inflammatory activity. The results of a recent study are presented showing that in patients with a mild course of COVID infection with respiratory and intestinal symptoms, the administration of Zakofalk for 30 days (3 tablets per day) led to significantly faster stool normalization (by day 7), persistent normalization of the frequency and consistency of stools by the 21st day and a significantly more pronounced regression of bloating and abdominal pain, as well as a decrease in the risk of developing post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome.
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Casalini G, Giacomelli A, Ridolfo A, Gervasoni C, Antinori S. Invasive Fungal Infections Complicating COVID-19: A Narrative Review. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:921. [PMID: 34829210 PMCID: PMC8620819 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) can complicate the clinical course of COVID-19 and are associated with a significant increase in mortality, especially in critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). This narrative review concerns 4099 cases of IFIs in 58,784 COVID-19 patients involved in 168 studies. COVID-19-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is a diagnostic challenge because its non-specific clinical/imaging features and the fact that the proposed clinically diagnostic algorithms do not really apply to COVID-19 patients. Forty-seven observational studies and 41 case reports have described a total of 478 CAPA cases that were mainly diagnosed on the basis of cultured respiratory specimens and/or biomarkers/molecular biology, usually without histopathological confirmation. Candidemia is a widely described secondary infection in critically ill patients undergoing prolonged hospitalisation, and the case reports and observational studies of 401 cases indicate high crude mortality rates of 56.1% and 74.8%, respectively. COVID-19 patients are often characterised by the presence of known risk factors for candidemia such as in-dwelling vascular catheters, mechanical ventilation, and broad-spectrum antibiotics. We also describe 3185 cases of mucormycosis (including 1549 cases of rhino-orbital mucormycosis (48.6%)), for which the main risk factor is a history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (>76%). Its diagnosis involves a histopathological examination of tissue biopsies, and its treatment requires anti-fungal therapy combined with aggressive surgical resection/debridement, but crude mortality rates are again high: 50.8% in case reports and 16% in observational studies. The presence of other secondary IFIs usually diagnosed in severely immunocompromised patients show that SARS-CoV-2 is capable of stunning the host immune system: 20 cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, 5 cases of cryptococcosis, 4 cases of histoplasmosis, 1 case of coccidioides infection, 1 case of pulmonary infection due to Fusarium spp., and 1 case of pulmonary infection due to Scedosporium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Casalini
- Luigi Sacco Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Andrea Giacomelli
- Luigi Sacco Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.G.)
- III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (C.G.)
| | - Annalisa Ridolfo
- III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (C.G.)
| | - Cristina Gervasoni
- III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (C.G.)
| | - Spinello Antinori
- Luigi Sacco Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.G.)
- III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (C.G.)
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Hung YP, Lee CC, Lee JC, Tsai PJ, Ko WC. Gut Dysbiosis during COVID-19 and Potential Effect of Probiotics. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1605. [PMID: 34442684 PMCID: PMC8402052 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an RNA virus of the family Coronaviridae, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an influenza-like disease that chiefly infects the lungs through respiratory transmission. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, a transmembrane protein in its outer portion, targets angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the binding receptor for the cell entry. As ACE2 is highly expressed in the gut and pulmonary tissues, SARS-CoV-2 infections frequently result in gastrointestinal inflammation, with presentations ordinarily ranging from intestinal cramps to complications with intestinal perforations. However, the evidence detailing successful therapy for gastrointestinal involvement in COVID-19 patients is currently limited. A significant change in fecal microbiomes, namely dysbiosis, was characterized by the enrichment of opportunistic pathogens and the depletion of beneficial commensals and their crucial association to COVID-19 severity has been evidenced. Oral probiotics had been evidenced to improve gut health in achieving homeostasis by exhibiting their antiviral effects via the gut-lung axis. Although numerous commercial probiotics have been effective against coronavirus, their efficacies in treating COVID-19 patients remain debated. In ClinicalTrials.gov, 19 clinical trials regarding the dietary supplement of probiotics, in terms of Lactobacillus and mixtures of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, for treating COVID-19 cases are ongoing. Accordingly, the preventive or therapeutic role of probiotics for COVID-19 patients can be elucidated in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Pin Hung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan 700, Taiwan;
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (C.-C.L.); (J.-C.L.)
| | - Ching-Chi Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (C.-C.L.); (J.-C.L.)
- Clinical Medicine Research Center, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 705, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Chieh Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (C.-C.L.); (J.-C.L.)
| | - Pei-Jane Tsai
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 705, Taiwan;
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 705, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 705, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chien Ko
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (C.-C.L.); (J.-C.L.)
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 705, Taiwan
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Ezeokoli OT, Gcilitshana O, Pohl CH. Risk Factors for Fungal Co-Infections in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients, with a Focus on Immunosuppressants. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:545. [PMID: 34356924 PMCID: PMC8304654 DOI: 10.3390/jof7070545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) managed in the intensive care unit are prone to complications, including secondary infections with opportunistic fungal pathogens. Systemic fungal co-infections in hospitalized COVID-19 patients may exacerbate COVID-19 disease severity, hamper treatment effectiveness and increase mortality. Here, we reiterate the role of fungal co-infections in exacerbating COVID-19 disease severity as well as highlight emerging trends related to fungal disease burden in COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, we provide perspectives on the risk factors for fungal co-infections in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and highlight the potential role of prolonged immunomodulatory treatments in driving fungal co-infections, including COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), COVID-19-associated candidiasis (CAC) and mucormycosis. We reiterate the need for early diagnosis of suspected COVID-19-associated systemic mycoses in the hospital setting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carolina H. Pohl
- Yeast Research Group, Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa or (O.T.E.); (O.G.)
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