ABSTRACT
The study aimed to investigate the causative species, antifungal susceptibility, and factors associated with oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) among Egyptian COVID-19 patients. This is an observational, case-controlled, single-center study that included three groups: COVID-19 patients (30), COVID-19 patients with OPC (39), and healthy individuals (31). Patients' demographic data (age, sex), laboratory tests, comorbidities, treatment, and outcomes were included. Candida species were isolated from COVID-OPC patient's oropharyngeal swabs by convenient microbiological methods. Isolated strains were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm production, aspartyl protease, and phospholipase activities. The most common respiratory symptoms reported were dyspnea (36/39; 92.4%) and cough (33/39; 84.7%). Candida albicans was the most common isolated species, accounting for 74.36% (29/39), followed by Candida tropicalis and Candida glabrata (15.38% and 10.26%, respectively). Amphotericin was effective against all isolates, while fluconazole was effective against 61.5%. A total of 53.8% of the isolates were biofilm producers. The phospholipase activity of C. albicans was detected among 58.6% (17/29) of the isolates. Significant variables from this study were used to create two equations from a regression model that can predict the severity of disease course and liability to fungal infection, with a stativity of 87% and 91%, respectively. According to our findings, COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe infection under prolonged use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and corticosteroids should be considered a high-risk group for developing OPC, and prophylactic measures are recommended to be included in the treatment protocols. In addition, due to the increased rate of fluconazole resistance, other new antifungals should be considered.
ABSTRACT
Background: With the emergence and spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally, health care systems have faced the biggest challenge in recent decades. Objectives: The present study aimed to identify risk factors associated with oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) in COVID-19 patients. Methods: The total number of confirmed COVID-19 patients was 218 (105 cases with OPC and 113 controls without OPC). The questionnaire used in this study consisted of demographic data, treatment strategy, clinical and laboratory data, and underlying diseases collected from the onset of clinical OPC until the end of hospitalization. Results: Pseudomembranous candidiasis (77/105, 73.3%) was the most prevalent form of OPC in case patients. The majority of the cases (58.1%) and controls (58.4%) were males. Increasing age (P = 0.03) and hospitalization length (P = 0.016) were significantly associated with OPC in COVID-19 patients. Diabetes (P = 0.003), solid tumor (P = 0.019), and hypertension (P = 0.000) were the most common underlying conditions. The use of dentures (P = 0.003) and poor oral hygiene (P = 0.000) were related to OPC in the case group. Therapy with chloroquine (P = 0.012), IVIG (P = 0.001), diuretics (P = 0.000), and corticosteroid pulse therapy (P = 0.000) were significantly associated with developing OPC in case patients. Conclusions: Old age, hospitalization length, poor oral hygiene, corticosteroids use, diabetes, solid tumor, and hypertension may predispose COVID-19 patients to develop OPC. © 2021, Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits copy and redistribute the material just in noncommercial usages, provided the original work is properly cited.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major healthcare threat. Apparently, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is armed by special abilities to spread and dysregulate the immune mechanisms. The likelihood of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) development in COVID-19 patients with a list of attributable risk factors for oral infections has not yet been investigated. OBJECTIVES: We here aim to investigate the prevalence, causative agents and antifungal susceptibility pattern of OPC in Iranian COVID-19 patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 53 hospitalised COVID-19 patients with OPC were studied. Relevant clinical data were mined. Strain identification was performed by 21-plex PCR and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). Antifungal susceptibility testing to fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, caspofungin, micafungin and anidulafungin was performed according to the CLSI broth dilution method. RESULTS: In 53 COVID-19 patients with OPC, cardiovascular diseases (52.83%) and diabetes (37.7%) were the principal underlying conditions. The most common risk factor was lymphopaenia (71%). In total, 65 Candida isolates causing OPC were recovered. C albicans (70.7%) was the most common, followed by C glabrata (10.7%), C dubliniensis (9.2%), C parapsilosis sensu stricto (4.6%), C tropicalis (3%) and Pichia kudriavzevii (=C krusei, 1.5%). Majority of the Candida isolates were susceptible to all three classes of antifungal drugs. CONCLUSION: Our data clarified some concerns regarding the occurrence of OPC in Iranian COVID-19 patients. Further studies should be conducted to design an appropriate prophylaxis programme and improve management of OPC in critically ill COVID-19 patients.