Possible Trichosporon asahii urinary tract infection in a critically ill COVID-19 patient

Background: Trichosporon asahii, an emerging fungal pathogen, has been frequently associated with invasive infections in critically ill patients. Case report: A 74-year-old male patient diagnosed with COVID-19 was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). During hospitalization, the patient displayed episodes of bacteremia by Staphylococcus haemolyticus and a possible urinary tract infection by T. asahii. While the bacterial infection was successfully treated using broad-spectrum antibiotics, the fungal infection in the urinary tract was unsuccessfully treated with anidulafungin and persisted until the patient died. Conclusions: With the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, invasive fungal infections have been increasingly reported, mainly after taking immunosuppressant drugs associated with long-term broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. Although Candida and Aspergillus are still the most prevalent invasive fungi, T. asahii and other agents have emerged in critically ill patients. Therefore, a proper surveillance and diagnosing any fungal infection are paramount, particularly in COVID-19 immunocompromised populations. (C) 2022 Asociacion Espanola de Micologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This article reports a case of bacterial and fungal infections during hospitalization of a COVID-19 patient. The bacterial infection was successfully treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, but the fungal infection in the urinary tract persisted and eventually led to the patient's death. With the increasing number of immunocompromised individuals due to COVID-19, invasive fungal infections have become more common, highlighting the importance of proper surveillance and diagnosis of fungal infections.