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Fungemia
 
 
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Fungemia (also known as Candidemia, Candedemia, and Invasive Candidiasis) is the presence of fungi
Fungus

A fungus is a Eukaryote organism that is a member of the Kingdom Fungi . The fungi are a monophyletic group, also called the Eumycota , that is phylogeny distinct from the morphologically similar slime molds and water molds ....
 or yeasts in the blood
Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
. It is most commonly seen in immunosuppressed or immunocompromised patient
Patient

A patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or Therapy. The person is most often illness or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other Health care provider, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient....
s with severe neutropenia
Neutropenia

Neutropenia , from Latin language prefix neutro- and Greek language suffix -pe??a is a Hematology disorder characterized by an abnormally low number of a type of white blood cell called a neutrophil....
, oncology
Oncology

Oncology is the branch of medicine that studies tumors . A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist. The term originates from the Greek onkos , meaning bulk, mass, or tumor and the suffix -logy, meaning "study of"....
 patients, or in patients with intravenous catheter
Catheter

In medicine a catheter is a tubing that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct or vessel. Catheters thereby allow drainage or injection of fluids or access by surgical instruments....
s. Recently, it has been suggested the otherwise immunocompetent patients taking infliximab
Infliximab

Infliximab is a drug used to treat autoimmune List of autoimmune diseases. Infliximab is known as a "chimeric monoclonal antibody" . The drug blocks the action of the pleiotropic proinflammatory TNFa by binding to it and preventing it from signaling the receptor for TNFa on the surface of cell ....
 may be at a higher risk for fungemia.

The diagnosis
Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of anything, either by process of elimination or other analytical methods. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with slightly different implementations on the application of logic and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships....
 is complicated, as routine blood culture
Blood culture

Blood culture is microbiological culture of blood. It is employed to detect infections that are spreading through the bloodstream ....
s have poor sensitivity.

tment involves use of antifungals, e.g.






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Fungemia (also known as Candidemia, Candedemia, and Invasive Candidiasis) is the presence of fungi
Fungus

A fungus is a Eukaryote organism that is a member of the Kingdom Fungi . The fungi are a monophyletic group, also called the Eumycota , that is phylogeny distinct from the morphologically similar slime molds and water molds ....
 or yeasts in the blood
Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
. It is most commonly seen in immunosuppressed or immunocompromised patient
Patient

A patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or Therapy. The person is most often illness or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other Health care provider, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient....
s with severe neutropenia
Neutropenia

Neutropenia , from Latin language prefix neutro- and Greek language suffix -pe??a is a Hematology disorder characterized by an abnormally low number of a type of white blood cell called a neutrophil....
, oncology
Oncology

Oncology is the branch of medicine that studies tumors . A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist. The term originates from the Greek onkos , meaning bulk, mass, or tumor and the suffix -logy, meaning "study of"....
 patients, or in patients with intravenous catheter
Catheter

In medicine a catheter is a tubing that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct or vessel. Catheters thereby allow drainage or injection of fluids or access by surgical instruments....
s. Recently, it has been suggested the otherwise immunocompetent patients taking infliximab
Infliximab

Infliximab is a drug used to treat autoimmune List of autoimmune diseases. Infliximab is known as a "chimeric monoclonal antibody" . The drug blocks the action of the pleiotropic proinflammatory TNFa by binding to it and preventing it from signaling the receptor for TNFa on the surface of cell ....
 may be at a higher risk for fungemia.

The diagnosis
Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of anything, either by process of elimination or other analytical methods. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with slightly different implementations on the application of logic and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships....
 is complicated, as routine blood culture
Blood culture

Blood culture is microbiological culture of blood. It is employed to detect infections that are spreading through the bloodstream ....
s have poor sensitivity.

Treatment

Treatment involves use of antifungals, e.g. fluconazole
Fluconazole

Fluconazole is a triazole antifungal drug used in the treatment and prevention of superficial and systemic fungal infections. In a bulk powder form, it appears as a white crystalline powder, and it is very slightly soluble in water and soluble in alcohol....
 or amphotericin.

Risk factors

The two most important risk factors are:

  • Use of broad-spectrum antibiotic
    Broad-spectrum antibiotic

    The term broad-spectrum antibiotic refers to an antibiotic with activity against a wide range of disease-causing bacteria. It is also means that it acts against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria....
    s
  • Colonization by fungi (see e.g. candidiasis
    Candidiasis

    Candidiasis, commonly called yeast infection or thrush, is a fungal infection of any of the Candida species, of which Candida albicans is the most common....
    )


Other risk factors are:

  • Dialysis
    Dialysis

    In medicine, dialysis is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure. Dialysis may be used for very sick patients who have suddenly but temporarily, lost their kidney function or for quite stable patients who have permanently lost their kidney function ....
  • Diabetes
  • Lowered intestinal flora
  • Suppressed Immune system
    Immune system

    An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
  • Central venous catheter
    Central venous catheter

    In medicine, a central venous catheter is a catheter placed into a large vein in the neck , chest or groin . It is used to administer medication or fluids, obtain blood tests , and directly obtain cardiovascular measurements such as the central venous pressure....
  • High severity of illness
  • Multiple abdominal surgeries
    Surgery

    Surgery is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, to help improve bodily function or appearance, or sometimes for some other reason....
  • Use of steroid
    Steroid

    A steroid is a terpenoid lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings, generally arranged in a 6-6-6-5 fashion.Steroids vary by the functional groups attached to these rings and the oxidation state of the rings....
    s
  • burn
    Burn (injury)

    A burn is a type of injury that may be caused by heat, Temperature, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation, or friction. Burns can be highly variable in terms of the tissue affected, the severity, and resultant complications....
    s


Pathogens

The most commonly known pathogen
Pathogen

A pathogen , infectious agent, or germ, is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its Host .There are several substrates and pathways whereby pathogens can invade a host; the principal pathways have different episodic time frames, but soil contamination has the longest or most persistent potential for harboring...
 is Candida albicans
Candida albicans

Candida albicans is a diploid fungus , which is capable of sexual reproduction but not of meiosis, and a causal agent of Opportunistic infection Wiktionary:oral and genital infections in humans....
, causing roughly 70% of fungemias, followed by Candida glabrata
Candida glabrata

Candida glabrata is a haploid yeast of the genus Candida , previously known as Torulopsis glabrata. This species of yeast is non-Phenotypic switching and no mating activity has been observed....
 with 10%, and Aspergillus
Aspergillus

Aspergillus is a genus of around 200 molds found throughout much of nature worldwide. Aspergillus was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli....
 with 1%. However, the frequency of infection by T. glabrata, Candida tropicalis
Candida tropicalis

Candida tropicalis is a species of yeast in the genus Candida. It is easily recognized as a common medical yeast pathogen, existing as part of the normal human flora....
, C. krusei
Candida krusei

Candida krusei is a budding yeast involved in chocolate production. Candida krusei is an emerging fungal nosocomial pathogen primarily found in the immunocompromised and those with hematological malignancies....
, and C. parapsilosis
Candida parapsilosis

Candida parapsilosis is a fungus species of the yeast family that has become a significant cause of sepsis and of wound and tissue infections in immuno-compromised patients....
 is increasing, especially when significant use of fluconazole
Fluconazole

Fluconazole is a triazole antifungal drug used in the treatment and prevention of superficial and systemic fungal infections. In a bulk powder form, it appears as a white crystalline powder, and it is very slightly soluble in water and soluble in alcohol....
 is common.

Symptoms

Symptoms can range from mild to extreme, often described as extreme flu-like symptoms. Pain, mental disorders, chronic fatigue, infections, are a few of the long list of associated symptoms with Fungemia.

See also

  • Bacteremia
    Bacteremia

    Bacteraemia is the presence of bacterium in the blood. The blood is normally a sterile environment, so the detection of bacteria in the blood is always abnormal....
  • Candidiasis
    Candidiasis

    Candidiasis, commonly called yeast infection or thrush, is a fungal infection of any of the Candida species, of which Candida albicans is the most common....
  • Mycosis
    Mycosis

    Mycosis is a condition in which fungi pass the resistance barriers of the human or animal body and establish infections....


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