Nosocomial Fungal Infections: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

Nosocomial fungal infections are amongst the main causes of mortality in patients admitted to healthcare settings, especially in immunocompromised populations. The predominant pathogens include Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Mucorales spp., and Fusarium spp. Nosocomial fungal infections are increasing due to the underlying factors in decades ahead. One of the predisposing factors includes immune system suppressing modalities due to the extensive use of invasive treatments such as stem cell transplantation, organ transplantation, chemotherapy, and immunosuppressive drugs. Infection control methods recommended, can avoid catheter-related candidiasis and also minimize exposure to airborne Aspergillus spores in immunocompromised patients in hospital settings. Many of these infections can be prevented without advanced equipment and high costs by training healthcare workers in using medical equipment. Treatment for these infections is costly due to increased length of stay in health settings. Antifungal prophylaxis should be considered in patients at risk of invasive fungal infections during the periods of severe immunosuppression. In this study the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies of nosocomial fungal infections have been fully reviewed.