Fungal sepsis

Immunocompromise can result from trauma, burns, cancer, cancer chemotherapy, and immunosuppressive therapy. Immunocompromise increases the risk of invasive infection from opportunistic fungi. The key to successful management of these infections is early recognition, aggressive therapy, and when indicated, surgical therapy. This article describes the common opportunistic fungal infections aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and candidiasis, which may arise in surgical patients or which may require surgical intervention for diagnosis or therapy.