Emerging invasive fungal infections in children

Abstract

The incidence of fungal infections have been gradually increased for the last few decades. Although Candida and Aspergillus spp are the most commonly isolated organisms, the increase in number of immunocompromised patients caused a gradual increase in the rare fungal infections. Systemic fungal infections can be divided into endemic and opportunistic infections. Endemic infections are the infections that can infect everyone including people with a normal immune system. They have a restricted geographic distribution and they are not encountered in our country. The main endemic infections are Histoplasmosis, Coccioidomycosis and Blastomycosis. Opportunistic systemic fungal infections are seen mainly in immunocompromised individuals. In this article, opportunistic fungal infections especially Cryptococcus and Zygomycetes infections and other rare invasive fungal infections (Fusarium spp., Malassezia spp.) will be briefly discussed.