Systemic fungal infection: A study of 138 autopsies.

ABSTRACT

A study of 138 autopsy cases with deep fungal infections out of a total of 3328 autopsy cases during the period 1980 to 1985 was carried out when the causal organisms were determined, 160 infections were found 10 were caused by pathogenic fungi (Crytococcus neoformans) and the other 10 were caused by opportunistic fungi including aspergillus, candida, mucor and penicillium. A combination of more than one fungus was noted in 21 cases. The central nervous system was most likely to be affected by crytococcus, whereas the respiratory and alimentary systems were infected by aspergillus and candida, respectively. In this study, males were somewhat more commonly affected than females. Fungal infections were common in those who had underlying diseases, internal malignancies, diabetes mellitus as well as in patients with a history of prolonged use of antibiotics and corticosteroids. Compared with a previous study in the same hospital, the incidence definitely increased, although the other patterns of the systemic fungal infections showed no significant change.