infectious diseases
Overview of Fungal Infections
Opportunistic fungal infections
Many fungi are opportunists and are usually not pathogenic, except in an immunocompromised host. Causes of immunocompromise include AIDS, azotemia, diabetes mellitus, lymphoma, leukemia, other hematologic cancers, burns, and therapy with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, or antimetabolites. Patients who spend more than several days in an intensive care unit can become compromised because of medical procedures (eg, central venous catheters, major surgery), underlying disorders, and/or undernutrition. Examples of opportunistic systemic fungal infections (mycoses) include Candidiasis None Aspergillosis None Mucormycosis (zygomycosis) Fusariosis Systemic mycoses affecting patients who are severely immunocompromised often manifest acutely with rapidly progressive pneumonia, fungemia, or manifestations of extrapulmonary dissemination. 