Research Article: Hospital-treated serious and invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis infections during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data from England
Abstract:
Objectives To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the burden of hospital-treated Aspergillus and Candida infections in England. Design A retrospective study using Hospital Episodes Statistics data to estimate the burden of serious and invasive fungal infections (SIFIs) in all patients admitted in England during March 2018–February 2020 (pre-COVID-19) and during March 2020–October 2021 (the COVID-19 period). Setting Hospitals in England. Population All patients with codes corresponding to serious and invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis in any diagnosis position during their admission pre-COVID-19 and during the COVID-19 period. Outcome measures Age, spells, patient counts, mean length of stay, admission to critical care unit (CCU), length of stay in CCU, 30-day readmissions, failed discharges (readmission within 7 days) and comorbidities. Results During the COVID-19 period, hospitalisation spells with an invasive candidiasis code fell by 3.2% and spells with an aspergillosis code by 24.8%. Mean length of stay was higher for patients with aspergillosis with or without COVID-19 and candidiasis with or without COVID-19 during the pandemic than before the pandemic. During the pandemic, mean length of stay was higher for patients with aspergillosis with COVID-19 than those with aspergillosis alone but slightly lower for patients with candidiasis with COVID-19 than for those with candidiasis alone. Of patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19, 52.5% with aspergillosis and 60.0% with candidiasis were treated in CCU compared with 13.2% and 37.1%, respectively, without a COVID-19 diagnosis. The percentage of 30-day readmissions and failed discharges for patients with SIFI was higher for those with COVID-19 than for those without. Conclusions The burden of aspergillosis and candidiasis has been affected by COVID-19. Aspergillosis diagnoses fell among hospitalised patients during the pandemic, while candidiasis continued to fluctuate in patterns similar to pre-COVID-19. A higher burden for patients with SIFI was observed, whether or not they also had a diagnosis of COVID-19. Our findings highlight extra considerations and burden on management of serious SIFI as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Introduction:
In recent years, global health awareness around infectious diseases has increased. However, the profile of fungal infections has lagged behind that of bacterial and viral diseases, despite serious and invasive fungal infections (SIFIs) often resulting in poorer patient outcomes, more complexity and increased burden on healthcare systems. Invasive fungal infections Invasive aspergillosis Aspergillus is a ubiquitous environmental mould that grows on organic matter. 1–3 It produces aerosolised conidia, which can be…
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