Uma Nahar Saikia
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, India
Title: Spectrum of cardiac mycotic infections at a tertiary care centre in India
Biography
Biography: Uma Nahar Saikia
Abstract
Introduction: Systemic mycotic infections result from inhalation of the spores of dimorphic fungi that have their mold forms in the soil. Th e spores differentiate into yeasts or other specialized forms within lungs and mostly asymptomatic and self-limited. Malignancy, hematologic disorders, and use of antibiotics and/or corticosteroids are major underlying conditions for disseminated disease-causing a destructive lesion that may result in death. Cardiac mycotic infection is relatively uncommon with increasing incidence in immunocompromised patients with poor prognosis.
Material & Methods: A total of 12,000 autopsy cases were reviewed retrospectively over a period of 20 years i.e. 1996-2015. Sections from heart stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and confirmed with histochemical stains including methenamine silver, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), and mucicarmine stains with confirmed histopathologic findings for fungal identification were included in the study.
Results: Of 23 cases of cardiac mycotic infection, 19 were male and only one female patient with a mean age of 29.5 years (range: 3 months–58 years). Underlying diseases included leukemia and lymphoproliferative disorders receiving antineoplastic drugs (5), post renal transplantation (5) cases, liver disease (3), diabetes mellitus (5) and once each of ABPA and thymoma with viral meningoencephalitis. None of the patients had experienced cardiac surgery, although one patient had a cardiac pacemaker implanted for the sick sinus syndrome. None of the patients were positive for the human immunodeficiency virus. All patients received antibiotic therapy antemortem with high dose corticosteroids given to 21 (44.5%). Most common fungal infection found was aspergillus (11) followed by mucormycosis (5), candida (2) and Cryptococcus (1). The disseminated disease was seen in 11 cases and one case had a dual infection (candida and mucormycosis).
Conclusion: The present study suggests increasing incidence of high mortality of cardiac involvement by aspergillus and mucormycosis with dissemination to other organs. This highlights the clinical importance of early diagnosis and designs new therapeutic strategies for cardiac mycotic infection to reduce mortality, especially in non-candidal infections.