Is there an interest in systematic serum screening for aspergillosis in COVID-19 patients in a medical ward?

Infect Dis Now. 2024 Jun;54(4):104918. doi: 10.1016/j.idnow.2024.104918. Epub 2024 Apr 16.

Abstract

Purpose: We evaluated the interest of systematic screening of serum fungal markers in patients hospitalized in a medical ward.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients hospitalized in our infectious disease department from October 1st to October 31st, 2020 for COVID-19 without prior ICU admission, and for whom systematic screening of serum fungal markers was performed.

Results: Thirty patients were included. The majority of patients received corticosteroids (96.7%). The galactomannan antigen assay was positive for 1/30 patients at D0, and 0/24, 0/16, 0/13 and 0/2 at D4, D7, D10 and D14 respectively. 1,3-ß-D-glucan was positive for 0/30, 1/24, 1/12, 0/12, 0/2 at D0, D4, D7, D10 and D14 respectively. No Aspergillus fumigatus PCR was positive. No cases of aspergillosis were retained.

Conclusion: Our study does not support the interest of systematic screening of fungal markers in immunocompetent patients with COVID-19 in a conventional unit.

Keywords: Aspergillosis; COVID-19; COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis; Fungal screening.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aspergillosis* / blood
  • Aspergillosis* / diagnosis
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / isolation & purification
  • Biomarkers* / blood
  • COVID-19* / blood
  • COVID-19* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Galactose* / analogs & derivatives
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mannans* / blood
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • beta-Glucans* / blood

Substances

  • galactomannan
  • Galactose
  • Mannans
  • Biomarkers
  • beta-Glucans