Estimated burden of fungal infections in Sweden

Abstract

Summary The aim of this study was to estimate the annual burden of fungal infections in Sweden using data mainly from 2016. Data on specific populations were obtained from Swedish national data registries. Annual incidence and prevalence of fungal disease was calculated based on epidemiological studies. Data on infections due to Cryptococcus sp., Mucorales, Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis and Pneumocystis jirovecii were retrieved from Karolinska University Laboratory and covers only 25% of Swedish population. In 2016, the population of Sweden was 9 995 153 (49.8% female). The overall burden of fungal infections was 1 713 385 (17 142/100 000). Superficial fungal infections affect 1 429 307 people (1429/100 000) based on Global Burden of Disease 14.3% prevalence. Total serious fungal infection burden was 284 174 (2843/100 000) in 2016. Recurrent Candida vulvovaginitis is common; assuming a 6% prevalence in women. Prevalence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and severe asthma with fungal sensitisation were estimated to be 20 095 and 26 387, respectively. Similarly, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis was estimated to affect 490 patients after tuberculosis, sarcoidosis and other conditions. Candidemia incidence was estimated to be 500 in 2016 (4.7/100 000) and invasive aspergillosis 295 (3.0/100 000). In Stockholm area, Mucorales were reported in three patients in 2015, while Cryptococcus spp. were reported in two patients. In 2016, there were 297 patients PCR positive for P jirovecii. The present study shows that the overall burden of fungal infections in Sweden is high and affects 17% of the population. The morbidity, mortality and the healthcare‐related costs due to fungal infections warrant further studies.

Pediatric diabetes and skin disease ( PeDiSkin ): A cross‐sectional study in 369 children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes

“…Both superficial dermatophyte infections and yeast‐related pityriasis versicolor were observed in less than 3% and 1.5% of patients, respectively. This is in keeping with similar figures in a large investigation of young Asian persons with diabetes 13 and does not exceed the prevalence observed in the general population 23 . Interestingly, no clinical signs or anamnestic clues for candidiasis could be disclosed in the current study, whereas the prevalence of candida infection ranged between 1.9% and 7.6% in previous pediatric T1D studies of patients with poorer glycemic control and higher mean ages 10,13,16 …”

“…This is in keeping with similar figures in a large investigation of young Asian persons with diabetes 13 and does not exceed the prevalence observed in the general population. 23 Interestingly, no clinical signs or anamnestic clues for candidiasis could be disclosed in the current study, whereas the prevalence of candida infection ranged between 1.9% and 7.6% in previous pediatric T1D studies of patients with poorer glycemic control and higher mean ages. 10,13,16 Bacterial skin infections were also rare and generally mild consisting of pustular folliculitis in only 1.1% of our patients, mainly affecting the lower extremities and transforming into an abscess in only one individual.…”

Increasing Incidence and Shifting Epidemiology of Candidemia in Greece: Results from the First Nationwide 10-Year Survey

“…The present epidemiological survey of the Greek all cause patient population (all hospital units) is representative of the entire country over a 10-year period providing a more complete picture. The survey has revealed an average annual incidence of 5.56/100,000 inhabitants (639 cases/year; 284, 209, and 146 in IMWs, ICU, and SWs patients, respectively), which is in line with reports from Ireland (6.3) [31], Kuwait (5.29) [32], Mexico (5.0) [33], and Sweden (4.7) [34]. The incidence is lower than that reported in Thailand (13.3) [35], Hungary (11.0) [36], Denmark (8.13) [37], and Spain (8.1) [38], and higher than in Canada (2.91) [39], Australia (2.41) [40], Portugal (2.19) [41], and the Philippines (2.0) [42].…”

Mass Spectrometry Proteotyping-Based Detection and Identification of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans in Blood

“…Early recognition of BSIs is crucial for successful treatment of patients, before conditions worsen and, possibly, become fatal, by development of sepsis ( Kumar et al., 2006 ; Loonen et al., 2014 ). Clinical manifestations of sepsis are variable, depending upon sites of infection and causative microorganisms, as well as underlying conditions of patients ( Iskander et al., 2013 ; Huang et al., 2019 ; Özenci et al., 2019 ). Unfortunately, diagnosis of sepsis is complex and problematic, often delayed because early symptoms are not recognized; many symptoms are subtle and mimic other clinical conditions ( Iskander et al., 2013 ).…”