مقالات پذیرفته شده در هشتمین کنگره بین المللی زیست پزشکی
fungal infections; Threats and risks
fungal infections; Threats and risks
Roozbeh Yalfani,1,*
1. Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University,Varamin-Pishva branch, Tehran, Iran
Introduction: Fungal infections represent an example of such overlooked emerging diseases, accounting for approximately 1.7 million deaths annually. To put these numbers in perspective, tuberculosis is reported to cause 1.5 million deaths/year and malaria around 405,000 deaths/year. The medical impact of Fungal infections, however, goes far beyond these devastating death rates: Fungal infections affect more than one billion people each year, of which more than 150 million cases account for severe and life-threatening Fungal infections. Importantly, the number of cases continues to constantly rise. Thus, Fungal infections are increasingly becoming a global health problem that is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates as well as with devastating socioeconomic consequences.
Methods: A crucial factor that contributes to the rising number of Fungal infections is the drastic increase of the at risk population that is specifically vulnerable to Fungal infections, including elderly people, critically ill or immunocompromised patients. The overall lifespan increase due to the achievements of modern medicine and social advancements, the growing numbers of cancer, chronic lung disease, AIDS and transplantation patients with the concomitant subscription of immune modulating drugs as well as the excessive antibiotic use compose risk factors and niches for the development of Fungal infections.
Chemotherapy and radiation are important treatments for people with cancer. While they destroy cancer cells, they can also lower white blood cell counts. The immune system relies on white blood cells to fight infections. The type of fungal infection and level of risk can depend on the type of cancer and type chemotherapy treatment.
Results: People who receive organ transplants need to take anti-rejection medications. These medications work by weakening the immune system so it does not attack the new organ. Some types of transplants may increase risk more than others, such as small bowel, lung, liver, and heart transplants.
Stem cell transplants increase risk for fungal infections because they destroy and rebuild the immune system. People can have stem cell transplants using their own cells or cells from a donor. People who receive donor stem cells are at higher risk for infections. Like people who have organ transplants, donor stem cell recipients need to take anti-rejection medications. Stem cell recipients are also at risk for Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). GvHD is a condition where transplanted stem cells attack the hosts' body.
Conclusion: Furthermore, the increasing usage of medical devices such as catheters or cardiac valves leads to a higher risk for the formation of biofilms. Certain treatments and medications can also increase risk, such as Long-term hospital stays, Stem cell transplants, Organ transplants, Corticosteroids.
Different fungal diseases may have more specific risk factors. Some diseases have risk factors unrelated to the immune system like race, age, and pregnancy.
Health equity factors like where a person lives, their occupation, and access to care also impact fungal disease risks.
In immunocompromised patients, infections can quickly become severe, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Despite these concerns, fungal infections have often been neglected in public health consider¬ations, and research funding remains substantially lower com¬pared to pathogens with similar mortality. There continue to be deficits in widespread clinical awareness and standard¬ized guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of fungal dis¬ease. Combined with delays in diagnosis due to the nonspecific symptoms of severe disease, fungal infections are chronically underdiagnosed, with a high degree of variability in the prog¬nosis of affected patients.