Global Burden of Fungal Infections and Antifungal Resistance from 1961 to 2024: Findings and Future Implications

Background: Antifungal resistance (AFR) is a global public health problem with devastating effects, especially among immunocompromised individuals. Addressing AFR requires a One Health approach including Antifungal Stewardship (AFS). This study aimed to comprehensively review global studies published on fungal infections and AFR and to recommend solutions to address this growing problem. Materials and Methods: This was a narrative review that was conducted using published papers on fungal infections, AFR, and AFS between January 1961 and March 2024. The literature was searched using PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Results: This found that there has been an increase in fungal infections globally, especially among immunocompromised patients. Due to this increase in fungal infections, there has been a proportionate increase in the use of antifungal agents to prevent and treat fungal infections. This increased use of antifungal agents has worsened the problem of AFR contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Globally, fungal infections have contributed to 150 million infections annually and 1.7 million deaths per year. By the year 2023, over 3.8 million people died from fungal infections. Addressing AFR remains a challenge because the treatment of antifungal-resistant infections is difficult. Finally, the treatment of fungal infections is a global challenge exacerbated by the limited number of antifungal agents to treat invasive fungal infections. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that fungal infections and AFR are prevalent across humans, animals, agriculture, and the environment. Addressing this problem requires the provision of solutions such as improving the awareness of AFR, conducting further research on the discovery of new antifungal agents, and implementing AFS programs. If this global problem is not addressed, the morbidity and mortality associated with AFR will continue to rise in the future.

Pulmonary fungal infection in a neonate with methylmalonic acidemia:A case report

BACKGROUND Methylmalonic acidemia(MMA)is characterized by non-specific symptoms such as vomiting,and feeding difficulties,along with delayed mental and physical development.However,no case of MMA combined with pulmonary fungal infection has been reported yet.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a neonate who presented pulmonary fungal infection along with the non-specific features of MMA.Exome sequencing revealed a c.331C>T variant in exon 3 of MMACHC from the father,and a c.658-c.660delAAG variant in exon 4 from the mother,which confirmed the diagnosis of cblC type MMA combined with hyperhomocysteinemia.CONCLUSION Invasive fungal infection might occur in some infants with MMA.Therefore,early diagnosis is recommended for unexplained pulmonary infection.

Two-step strategy—conjunctival flap covering surgery combined with secondary deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty for the treatment of high-risk fungal keratitis

AIM:To investigate whether the two-step strategy[conjunctival flap covering surgery(CFCS)combined with secondary deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty(DALK)]is effective for patients with high-risk fungal keratitis(FK).METHODS:In this noncomparative,retrospective case series,10 subjects(6 males,4 females)with a mean age of 56.5±7.1(range 47-72)y with high-risk FK undergone the two-step strategy were included.Reported outcome measures were healing of the corneal ulcer,recurrence of FK,reject reaction,improvement in best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and relevant complications.RESULTS:The average diameter of corneal infiltrates was 7.50±0.39 mm,ranging from 6.94 to 8.13 mm.The mean depth of corneal infiltrates was 422.4±77.1μm,ranging from 350 to 535μm.The mean corneal thickness was 597.4±117.3μm,ranging from 458 to 851μm.Hypopyon and endothelial plaques were presented in all patients.The period between the two steps was 3.65±0.9(ranging from 3 to 5)mo.The graft diameter was 7.75±0.39 mm.At the last follow-up(average 9.25±3.39,ranging from 5.5 to 17mo),no fungal recurrence or graft rejection appeared,and all patients showed improvement of BCVA.One patient suffered from liver function impairment due to oral voriconazole for 4wk and recovered spontaneously after 1wk of drug withdrawal.CONCLUSION:The two-step strategy is safe and effective in the treatment of high-risk FK by transforming intentional therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty during acute infection to later optical DALK.It is a practical strategy,especially in areas lacking fresh donor corneas and eye bank services.

Deep Learning ResNet101 Deep Features of Portable Chest X-Ray Accurately Classify COVID-19 Lung Infection

This study is designed to develop Artificial Intelligence(AI)based analysis tool that could accurately detect COVID-19 lung infections based on portable chest x-rays(CXRs).The frontline physicians and radiologists suffer from grand challenges for COVID-19 pandemic due to the suboptimal image quality and the large volume of CXRs.In this study,AI-based analysis tools were developed that can precisely classify COVID-19 lung infection.Publicly available datasets of COVID-19(N=1525),non-COVID-19 normal(N=1525),viral pneumonia(N=1342)and bacterial pneumonia(N=2521)from the Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology(SIRM),Radiopaedia,The Cancer Imaging Archive(TCIA)and Kaggle repositories were taken.A multi-approach utilizing deep learning ResNet101 with and without hyperparameters optimization was employed.Additionally,the fea-tures extracted from the average pooling layer of ResNet101 were used as input to machine learning(ML)algorithms,which twice trained the learning algorithms.The ResNet101 with optimized parameters yielded improved performance to default parameters.The extracted features from ResNet101 are fed to the k-nearest neighbor(KNN)and support vector machine(SVM)yielded the highest 3-class classification performance of 99.86%and 99.46%,respectively.The results indicate that the proposed approach can be bet-ter utilized for improving the accuracy and diagnostic efficiency of CXRs.The proposed deep learning model has the potential to improve further the efficiency of the healthcare systems for proper diagnosis and prognosis of COVID-19 lung infection.

Invasive fungal infection before and after liver transplantation

Invasive infections are a major complication before liver transplantation(LT)and in the early phase after surgery.There has been an increasing prevalence of invasive fungal disease(IFD),especially among the sickest patients with decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure,who suffer from a profound state of immune dysfunction and receive intensive care management.In such patients,who are listed for LT,development of an IFD often worsens hepatic and extra-hepatic organ dysfunction,requiring a careful evaluation before surgery.In the post-transplant setting,the burden of IFD has been reduced after the clinical advent of antifungal prophylaxis,even if several major issues still remain,such as duration,target population and drug type(s).Nevertheless,the development of IFD in the early phase after surgery significantly impairs graft and patient survival.This review outlines presentation,prophylactic and therapeutic strategies,and outcomes of IFD in LT candidates and recipients,providing specific considerations for clinical practice.

Modified ulcer debridement in the treatment of the superficial fungal infection of the cornea

AIM： To evaluate the efficacy of modified corneal ulcer debridement in superficial fungal keratitis unresponsive to medications.METHODS： A total of 209 patients（209 eyes） with fungal keratitis, involving no more than 50% of the stromal depth and not responding to antifungal agents for 2 wk, were recruited in this retrospective, noncomparative study. The patients were treated with modified corneal ulcer debridement. All visible corneal infiltrates were removed under an operating microscope to obtain a clean stromal bed and smooth incised edges. Antifungal drugs were used immediately after surgery. Healing time of the ulcers was recorded. Fungal recurrence, visual acuity, corneal thickness and risk factors for treatment failure were monitored.RESULTS： The follow-up was 13.6±5.8m o. The corneal ulcers healed in 195 of 209 eyes（93.3%）, with a mean healing time of 8.4±6.8 d. The other 14 eyes were further treated by penetrating keratoplasty（PK）（1 eye）, anterior lamellar keratoplasty（LK）（7 eyes）, conjunctival flap covering（4 eyes） or amniotic membrane transplantation（2 eyes）. The best corrected visual acuity（BCVA） was ≥20/70 in 80.3% of the eyes, ≥20/40 in 56.9% of the eyes, and ≥20/25 in 27.3% of the eyes. The corneas at the lesions became thinner, but all in the safe range. No fungal recurrence or corneal ectasis developed during the follow-up. The risk of treatment failure was higher in patients with preoperative hypopyon（P=0.036） and ever using steroid（P=0.025）.CONCLUSION： Modified surgical debridement is a simple and effective method for the treatment of superficial fungal infection of the cornea, with improved visual acuity and no recurrence. Such an intervention in time can rapidly control fungal infection and largely shorten corneal ulcer healing time.

Fungal infections following liver transplantation

With increasing morbidity and mortality from chronic liver disease and acute liver failure,the need for liver transplantation is on the rise.Most of these patients are extremely vulnerable to infections as they are immune-compromised and have other chronic co-morbid conditions.Despite the recent advances in practice and improvement in diagnostic surveillance and treatment modalities,a major portion of these patients continue to be affected by post-transplant infections.Of these,fungal infections are particularly notorious given their vague and insidious onset and are very challenging to diagnose.This mini-review aims to discuss the incidence of fungal infections following liver transplantation,the different fungi involved,the risk factors,which predispose these patients to such infections,associated diagnostic challenges,and the role of prophylaxis.The population at risk is increasingly old and frail,suffering from various other co-morbid conditions,and needs special attention.To improve care and to decrease the burden of such infections,we need to identify the at-risk population with more robust clinical and diagnostic parameters.A more robust global consensus and stringent guidelines are needed to fight against resistant microbes and maintain the longevity of current antimicrobial therapies.

Invasive Fungal Infections in People Living with HIV/AIDS

The increased incidence of invasive and opportunistic mycoses is probably related to the growth of the immunocompromised population, such as people living with HIV. This study is a literature review that aims to analyze the frequency of invasive fungal infections in people living with HIV. In most studies evaluated, Pneumocystis pneumonia was the most frequent invasive fungal infection among people living with HIV, and cryptococcosis was the second most frequent. Invasive fungal infections are associated with greater morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV. The most important highlighted information is that the lack of epidemiological data on fungal infections in the studied populations was reported by most studies. Therefore, there is a need for further studies to assess the frequency of invasive fungal infection in people living with HIV, which may serve as subsidies for the implementation of strategies for the prevention and management, with a consequent increase in the quality of life and reduction of morbidity/mortality in this population.

Management of bacterial and fungal infections in end stage liver disease and liver transplantation: Current options and future directions

Patients with liver cirrhosis are susceptible to infections due to various mechanisms, including abnormalities of humoral and cell-mediated immunity and occurrence of bacterial translocation from the intestine. Bacterial infections are common and represent a reason for progression to liver failure and increased mortality. Fungal infections, mainly caused by Candida spp., are often associated to delayed diagnosis and high mortality rates. High level of suspicion along with prompt diagnosis and treatment of infections are warranted. Bacterial and fungal infections negatively affect the outcomes of liver transplant candidates and recipients, causing disease progression among patients on the waiting list and increasing mortality, especially in the early posttransplant period. Abdominal, biliary tract, and bloodstream infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria [e.g., Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa)] and Staphylococcus spp. are commonly encountered in liver transplant recipients. Due to frequent exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, invasive procedures, and prolonged hospitalizations, these patients are especially at risk of developing infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria. The increase in antimicrobial resistance hampers the choice of an adequate empiric therapy and warrants the knowledge of the local microbial epidemiology and the implementation of infection control measures. The main characteristics and the management of bacterial and fungal infections in patients with liver cirrhosis and liver transplant recipients are presented.

Postoperative deep shoulder infections following rotator cuff repair

Rotator cuff repair(RCR) is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in orthopaedic surgery. The reported incidence of deep soft-tissue infections after RCR ranges between 0.3% and 1.9%. Deep shoulder infection after RCR appears uncommon, but the actual incidence may be higher as many cases may go unreported. Clinical presentation may include increasing shoulder pain and stiffness, high temperature, local erythema, swelling, warmth, and fibrinous exudate. Generalized fatigue and signs of sepsis may be present in severe cases. Varying clinical presentation coupled with a low index of suspicion may result in delayed diagnosis. Laboratory findings include high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level, and, rarely, abnormal peripheral blood leucocyte count. Aspiration of glenohumeral joint synovial fluid with analysis of cell count, gram staining and culture should be performed in all patients suspected with deep shoulder infection after RCR. The most commonly isolated pathogens are Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Management of a deep soft-tissue infection of the shoulder after RCR involves surgical debridement with lavage and long-term intravenous antibiotic treatment based on the pathogen identified. Although deep shoulder infection after RCR is usually successfully treated, complications of this condition can be devastating. Prolonged course of intravenous antibiotic treatment, extensive soft-tissue destruction and adhesions may result in substantially diminished functional outcomes.

Sternal Reconstruction of Deep Sternal Wound Infections Following Median Sternotomy by Single-stage Muscle Flaps Transposition

Objective To assess clinical effectiveness of using bilateral pectoralis major or plus rectus abdominis muscle flaps in treating deep sternal wound infection(DSWI) following median sternotomy. Methods Between January 2009 and December 2013, 19 patients with DSWI after median sternotomy for cardiac surgery were admitted to our hospital, including 14 males(73.7%) and 5 females(26.3%), aged 55±13(18-78) years. According to the Pairolero classification of infected median sternotomies, 3(15.8%) patients were type II, and the other 16(84.2%) were type III. Surgical procedure consisted of adequate debridement of infected sternum, costal cartilage, granulation, steel wires, suture residues and other foreign substances. Sternal reconstruction used the bilateral pectoralis major or plus rectus abdominis muscle flaps to obliterate dead space. The drainage tubes were placed and connected to a negative pressure generator for adequate drainage. Results There were no intraoperative deaths. In 15 patients(78.9%), bilateral pectoral muscle flaps were mobilized sufficiently to cover and stabilize the defect created by wound debridement. 4 patients(21.0%) needed bilateral pectoral muscle flaps plus rectus abdominis muscle flaps because their pectoralis major muscle flaps could not reach the lowest portion of the wound. 2 patients(10.5%) presented with subcutaneous infection, and 3 patients(15.8%) had hematoma. They recovered following local debridement and medication. 17 patients(89.5%) were examined at follow-up 12 months later, all healed and having stable sternum. No patients showed infection recurrence during the follow-up period over 12 months. Conclusion DSWI following median sternotomy may be effectively managed with adequate debridement of infected tissues and reconstruction with bilateral pectoralis major muscle or plus rectus abdominis muscle flap transposition.

Analysis of the relationship between deep venous catheter-related infection and post-operative complications in patients receiving minimally invasive esophagectomy

Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate catheter-related infection rate(CRIR)for patients receiving minimally invasive esophagectomy(MIE),to identify the optimal catheterization approach and relationship between CRIR and post-operative complications.Methods In total,168 patients with esophageal carcinoma and undergoing MIE combined with preoperative deep venous catheterization(DVC)were analyzed in our institution(Qingdao Municipal Hospital,China),from 2014 to 2018.After completing DVC,catheter-tips together with intraductal venous blood samples were sent to the microbiology lab for bacterial strain culture.CRIR was statistically evaluated for the following clinical variables:gender,age,smoking status,drinking status,past history,tumor location,histologic grade,pathological T,N,and M category,anastomotic location,anastomotic leakage,anastomotic stricture,chylothorax,pneumonia,recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN)injury,reflux esophagitis,catheterization site,and catheter-locking days.Results Among the 144 patients recruited in our study,105 catheters were inserted into the jugular vein and 39 catheters into the subclavian vein.The median age of these patients was 63 years(range:42–79 years),and the median catheter-locking period was seven days(range:4–21 days).Four catheters were identified with three types of strain colonizations,including Staphylococcus epidermidis,Staphylococcus aureus and Blastomyces albicans.Statistical data showed that patients diagnosed with catheter-related infection were likely to incur anastomotic leakage(66.67%,P<0.001)and pneumonia(27.27%,P<0.001);features such as tumors located in the upper esophagus(13.6%,P=0.003),and over seven catheterlocking days(10.00%,P<0.001)were attributed to a high CRIR.Conclusion Although both jugular and subclavian veins can be catheterized for patients with MIE,DVC is associated with more than seven catheter-locking days and upper esophagectomy,due to high CRIR.Furthermore,catheter-related infection is related to anastomotic leakage and pneumonia.

Revision on the Recent Diagnostic Strategies of Fungal Infections

Many invasive fungal diseases have no characteristic signs or symptoms, and may give negative blood cultures;therefore, clinician may decide to start empirical antifungal therapy particularly in high risk patient (e.g., hematopoietic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, and AIDS patients). This increases the incidence of appearance of resistant fungal strains to antifungal drugs. Traditional methods for diagnosis such as wet mount examination and microbiological cultures remain the gold standard methods for fungal disease diagnosis. However, they are time-consuming, insensitive, and have a limited impact on clinical decision-making. Significant progress has recently achieved in diagnostic tools of fungal disease. Antigen and antibody based assays, molecular techniques, and MALDI TOF spectrometry technique and nanotechnology offer more rapid, sensitive and accurate results.

Intracranial Fungal Infections: Overview from Two Large Tertiary Hospital in Upper Egypt and Literature Review

Purpose: Fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are potentially lethal conditions with high morbidity and mortality. In this review, we summarise the most common clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies for intracranial fungal infection at two tertiary care teaching hospitals. Material and methods: Prospective hospital study is carried out at Department of Neurosurgery;Assiut and Suhaj University Hospitals between January2010 to January 2018 (Minimum 12-months follow-up). Radiographs and hospital data of 74 patients with proven intracranial fungal infections were gathered and analyzed. There were no exclusion criteria: age, gender, clinical presentations, immunity status, radiological findings, laboratory, and microbiological data, types of management and outcome. In surgically treated patients, diagnosis was confirmed by pathologic evaluation. Gathered data were coded and entered into a computer and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The greatest number of the patients had 40 to 60 years old (49;66%) and the mean age was 44 years. There was an overwhelming male patient’s ranged preponderance 66%;49 cases. Sixty-three patients (85%) were immunosuppressed;11 cases (15%) were immunocompetent. The most common causes of immunosuppression were diabetes 27 patients;43%, on chemotherapeutic agents 19 patients;31%, on corticosteroid 16 patients;25% and AIDS in one patient;1%. Five different fungal types were identified but Cryptococcus spp. was the most common cause of CNS fungal infection, occurring in 39 patients (53%). This was followed by Candida spp. in 14 patients (19%), Aspergillus in 11 patients (15%), Blastomyces in 7 patients (9%) and Coccidiosis in 3 patients (4%). Headache was the most common presenting symptom, occurring in 33 patients (45%). Other relatively common symptoms were nausea or vomiting 11 patients (15%), fever 10 patients;(13%), seizures 9 patients (12%), acute mental status changes 8 patients;(11%) and stroke like Symptoms 3patients (4%). Different surgical procedures were done. Stereotactic biopsy is in 19 patients (deep;located in an eloquent region of the brain or multiple small lesion) or excision in 38 patients (cortical, relatively accessible regions of the brain), and CSF shunting in 17 patients. All patients received parenteral and, in some cases, oral antifungal chemotherapy in addition to surgical therapy. Overall mortality was 52.7% (39 deaths). An additional 8 surviving patients exhibited permanent morbidity due to neurological deficits and seizure disorders. Conclusion: This prospective population study demonstrates an insight into the intracranial fungal infection and management. CNS fungal infections have increased in frequency, particularly in immunocompromised patients;most infections are caused by Cryptococcus spp. Diabetes was the most common cause of immunosuppression and headache was the most common symptom at presentation. CNS fungal infection is still associated with a high mortality and morbidity. Prompt diagnosis;early and appropriate medical and surgical management are fundamental to optimize the outcome.

Research Progress on Diagnosis Methods for Fungal Infection

In recent years, owing to abuse of antibiotics, extensive use of antitumor drugs and immunosuppressive agents and other reasons, an increasing number of people suffered from fungal infection. In this situation, researchers proposed new diagnosis methods,such as G test, galactomannan (GM) test, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). G test is simple, quick, and highly sensitive and can detect multiple fungi; however, it cannot distinguish fungal types and may result in false positive and false negative results. GM test is less time consuming and feature highly positive detection rates but can simply be used in inspection of invasive aspergillosis. However, optimal positive critical values of GM test remain controversial. PCR is currently one of the fastest methods but is not formally used in clinical practice because of its lack of standardized operation and evaluation criteria.This study reviews the above three methods with the aim of discovering and summarizing their advantages and disadvantages to facilitate research and development of new diagnosis methods.

Characteristics of invasive fungal infections in obstetric and gynecologic patients

Objective:To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of invasive fungal infections(IFI) in the patients admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Peking Union Medical College Hospital(PUMCH). Methods:The IFI data from the clinical laboratory and medical records of PUMCH from January,2003 to December, 2009 were studied retrospectively.The patients were classified by diagnostic criteria as confirmed,clinical-diagnosed or suspected cases,and classified by treatment protocols into surgery,chemotherapy or end-stage of malignant tumors.The distribution,pathogens,risk factors and treatment outcomes of IFIs in these patients were discussed. Results:The data of 220 obstetric-gynecologic cases of IFIs were retrieved(52 cases confirmed,11 clinical-diagnosed and 157 suspected).The incidence of confirmed urinogenital IFIs in obstetric-gynecologic patients was greater than overall incidence of urinogenital IFIs in PUMCH(46.2%vs.18.7%,P<0.001).The possible risk factors of IFIs in the obstetric-gynecologic patients included hypoalbuminemia(87.3%in all the confirmed and clinical -diagnosed patients),neutropenia(52.4%) and chemotherapy or radiotherapy(50.8%).The treatment effectiveness in the surgical,chemotherapeutic and end-stage patients were 100.0%(108/108),91.6%(87/95) and 52. 9%(9/17),respectively(P<0.001). Conclusion:The IFIs in the patients from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology had more severe cases, diverse risk factors,and special distribution of infection sites.The curative effect was excellent for those receiving surgery or chemotherapy.

Intraoperative vs 24-Hour Administration of Cefamandole to Prevent Deep Sternal Wound Infection and Endocarditis after Adult Cardiac Surgery

Background and Objectives: Duration of antibiotic prophylaxis for cardiac surgery is still debated and controversial. International guidelines are vague: French guidelines recommend an intraoperative administration, while the Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ guidelines suggest that optimal postoperative prophylactic antibiotics be given for 48 hours or less. Very few studies have compared the same antibiotic with 2 different administration durations. The study was designed to compare the efficacy of 24-hour administration of cefamandole vs intraoperative cefamandole to prevent deep sternal wound infection and endocarditis after cardiac surgery. Methods: This retrospective and observational study compared the rates of severe surgical site infections (deep sternal wound infection, endocarditis) after cardiac surgery between period 1, 01/01/2008-31/08/2008, with 24-hour administration of cefamandole, and period 2, 01/09/2008-30/04/2009 with intraoperative cefamandole. Results: Among 933 patients, 14 patients (1.5%) developed surgical site infection during the 16-month study: 1.3% during the first period and 1.7% during the second (ns). The populations (470 patients in period 1 and 463 in period 2) were homogeneous and comparable for pre-, intra- and postoperative characteristics. Surgical site infection characteristics (pathogens involved, time to diagnosis) and consequences (longer hospital stay, outcomes) were comparable in the 2 groups. Conclusions: Intraoperative cefamandole was as safe as its 24-hour administration to prevent deep sternal wound infection and endocarditis after adult cardiac surgery.

Comparison of fungal vs bacterial infections in the medical intensive liver unit:Cause or corollary for high mortality?

BACKGROUND Due to development of an immune-dysregulated phenotype,advanced liver disease in all forms predisposes patients to sepsis acquisition,including by opportunistic pathogens such as fungi.Little data exists on fungal infection within a medical intensive liver unit(MILU),particularly in relation to acute on chronic liver failure.AIM To investigate the impact of fungal infections among critically ill patients with advanced liver disease,and compare outcomes to those of patients with bacterial infections.METHODS From our prospective registry of MILU patients from 2018-2022,we included 27 patients with culture-positive fungal infections and 183 with bacterial infections.We compared outcomes between patients admitted to the MILU with fungal infections to bacterial counterparts.Data was extracted through chart review.RESULTS All fungal infections were due to Candida species,and were most frequently blood isolates.Mortality among patients with fungal infections was significantly worse relative to the bacterial cohort(93%vs 52%,P<0.001).The majority of the fungal cohort developed grade 2 or 3 acute on chronic liver failure(ACLF)(90%vs 64%,P=0.02).Patients in the fungal cohort had increased use of vasopressors(96%vs 70%,P=0.04),mechanical ventilation(96%vs 65%,P<0.001),and dialysis due to acute kidney injury(78%vs 52%,P=0.014).On MILU admission,the fungal cohort had significantly higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(108 vs 91,P=0.003),Acute Physiology Score(86 vs 65,P=0.003),and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium scores(86 vs 65,P=0.041).There was no significant difference in the rate of central line use preceding culture(52%vs 40%,P=0.2).Patients with fungal infection had higher rate of transplant hold placement,and lower rates of transplant;however,differences did not achieve statistical significance.CONCLUSION Mortality was worse among patients with fungal infections,likely attributable to severe ACLF development.Prospective studies examining empiric antifungals in severe ACLF and associations between fungal infections and transplant outcomes are critical.

Clinical analysis of patients with deep sternal wound infection-induced sepsis:a retrospective cohort study

Background:This study aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with deep sternal wound infection-induced sepsis after median sternotomy and improve the treatment outcomes of infection-related sepsis.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 21 patients with deep sternal wound infection-induced sepsis after median sternotomy who were admitted to the Department of Critical Care.The clinical manifestations,laboratory test results,infection control,and organ and nutritional support of the patients were summarized,and the follow-up data were obtained.Results:The primary symptoms of deep sternal wound infection-induced sepsis included dyspnea,high fever,chills,and altered state of consciousness.Laboratory test results revealed increased inflammatory markers and decreased oxygenation index.Renal and liver function injury were observed in 8 and 4 patients,respectively;18 and 12 patients demonstrated elevated D-dimer and N-terminal Pro B type natriuretic peptide levels,respectively.Of the 8 patients whose wound secretions tested positive for bacteria,Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus infections were present in 6 and 2 patients,respectively.One of the 6 patients whose blood cultures tested positive for bacteria demonstrated Candida albicans infection.Fifteen patients received ventilator-assisted ventilation and 2 patients received renal replacement therapy.Of all the 21 patients,17 were cured,2 died,and 2 were discharged.Conclusion:Postmedian sternotomy sepsis attributed to a deep sternal wound infection usually results from a preexisting condition.The most prominent clinical manifestation is dyspnea,which is sometimes accompanied by the impairment of organ function.Infection prevention,proper nutrition support,and maintenance of healthy organ function are the cornerstones for successful treatment outcomes.

Multiclass Stomach Diseases Classication Using Deep Learning Features Optimization

In the area of medical image processing,stomach cancer is one of the most important cancers which need to be diagnose at the early stage.In this paper,an optimized deep learning method is presented for multiple stomach disease classication.The proposed method work in few important steps—preprocessing using the fusion of ltering images along with Ant Colony Optimization(ACO),deep transfer learning-based features extraction,optimization of deep extracted features using nature-inspired algorithms,and nally fusion of optimal vectors and classication using Multi-Layered Perceptron Neural Network(MLNN).In the feature extraction step,pretrained Inception V3 is utilized and retrained on selected stomach infection classes using the deep transfer learning step.Later on,the activation function is applied to Global Average Pool(GAP)for feature extraction.However,the extracted features are optimized through two different nature-inspired algorithms—Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)with dynamic tness function and Crow Search Algorithm(CSA).Hence,both methods’output is fused by a maximal value approach and classied the fused feature vector by MLNN.Two datasets are used to evaluate the proposed method—CUI WahStomach Diseases and Combined dataset and achieved an average accuracy of 99.5%.The comparison with existing techniques,it is shown that the proposed method shows signicant performance.