Vanessa da Silva Fay1, Tatiana Schäffer Gregianini1, Ana Beatriz Gorini da Veiga2, Stela Maris Bottin Gonçalves1, Diana Mara Rodrigues1, Renan Rangel Bonamigo3. 1. LACEN/SES-RS (Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia da Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: anabgv76@gmail.com. 3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia da Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Serviço de Dermatologia da Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Ambulatório de Dermatologia Sanitária da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The number of fungal infections has increased in recent years in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Epidemiological studies are important for proper control of infections. AIMS: To evaluate the etiology of fungal infections in patients in RS, from 2003 to 2015. METHODS: This is a retrospective and longitudinal study carried out at Mycology Department of Central Laboratory of RS; 13,707 samples were evaluated. The variables sex, age, site of infection, and etiologic agent were analyzed. Susceptibility of Candida to fluconazole was tested in isolates from samples collected in 2015 from 51 outpatients. RESULTS: Of the 13,707 samples, 840 cases (6.12%) of fungal infections were found and included in the analyses; female gender accounted for the 55.9% of the cases. The main fungus was Candida albicans (450 cases, 53.38%; p<0.001). Onychomycosis was the most frequent infection in superficial mycoses. Systemic mycoses accounted for 54.05% of the cases, from which 68.8% occurred in males, mainly HIV-positive (33.11%), and the main etiologic agent in these cases was Cryptococcus neoformans (73.13%). Among 51 samples tested for susceptibility to fluconazole, 78.43% of Candida isolates were susceptible; 5.88% were susceptible in a dose-dependent manner, and 15.69% were resistant. CONCLUSIONS: C. albicans is a common cause of fungal infections in RS, accounting for half of the cases; resistance to antifungals was found in non-hospitalized patients. In addition, women seem to be more susceptible to fungal infections than men, however men show more systemic mycoses than women. The nails are the most common site of infection.
BACKGROUND: The number of fungal infections has increased in recent years in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Epidemiological studies are important for proper control of infections. AIMS: To evaluate the etiology of fungal infections in patients in RS, from 2003 to 2015. METHODS: This is a retrospective and longitudinal study carried out at Mycology Department of Central Laboratory of RS; 13,707 samples were evaluated. The variables sex, age, site of infection, and etiologic agent were analyzed. Susceptibility of Candida to fluconazole was tested in isolates from samples collected in 2015 from 51 outpatients. RESULTS: Of the 13,707 samples, 840 cases (6.12%) of fungal infections were found and included in the analyses; female gender accounted for the 55.9% of the cases. The main fungus was Candida albicans (450 cases, 53.38%; p<0.001). Onychomycosis was the most frequent infection in superficial mycoses. Systemic mycoses accounted for 54.05% of the cases, from which 68.8% occurred in males, mainly HIV-positive (33.11%), and the main etiologic agent in these cases was Cryptococcus neoformans (73.13%). Among 51 samples tested for susceptibility to fluconazole, 78.43% of Candida isolates were susceptible; 5.88% were susceptible in a dose-dependent manner, and 15.69% were resistant. CONCLUSIONS:C. albicans is a common cause of fungal infections in RS, accounting for half of the cases; resistance to antifungals was found in non-hospitalized patients. In addition, women seem to be more susceptible to fungal infections than men, however men show more systemic mycoses than women. The nails are the most common site of infection.