Effects of fungal infections associated with COVID-19 in pandemic era

Abstract

Fungal infections such as endemic mycoses, pneumocystosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, mucormycosis and cryptococcosis associated with COVID-19 are becoming complicated in management and diagnosis of critical ill COVID-19 patients. However, mortality rates due to fungal infections are significantly high. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of fungal infections associated with COVID-19 during the pandemic era. A systemic literature review was carried out to evaluate the effect of fungal infections associated with COVID-19 incidence from relevant published articles. Invasive Fungal Infections (IFIs) had the highest incidence of 26.7% from 137 intensive care unit patients screened for IFIs in 2020. Currently, drugs that are commonly used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients such as casirivimab and imdevimab, bamlanivimab and etesevimab, sotrovimab, and remdesivir had no any effects on fungal infections. In India, 53% of mortality rate which caused by 60% of Candida auris and in Brazil, 72.7% following corticosteroids use were reported. Recently, no any reports related to mortality rate due to Candida infections associated with COVID-19 in Spain and USA. Numerous current advances in management and diagnosis of these fungal infections associated with COVID-19 have not been much potentially significant. It is predicted and possible that the development of new and potent antifungal drugs, antimicrobial peptides and nanotechnology based approaches for drug delivery would help to reduce or eliminate these fungal infections associated with COVID-19 and restraint its spread across the globe.