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Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of fungal infections

Dinah Gould1

  • 1St Bartholomew School of Nursing and Midwifery, City University, London. D.Gould@city.ac.uk

Nursing Standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
|June 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Fungal infections range from superficial to invasive, posing risks to immunocompromised patients in hospitals. Primary care nurses play a key role in managing superficial infections and preventing spread.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Healthcare Epidemiology

Background:

  • Fungi are ubiquitous environmental organisms, with some species acting as opportunistic human pathogens.
  • Superficial fungal infections are common in primary care settings.
  • Invasive and systemic fungal infections represent a significant threat to hospitalized patients, particularly those with compromised immune systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the spectrum of fungal infections encountered in healthcare.
  • To emphasize the role of primary care nurses in managing superficial fungal infections.
  • To underscore the risks and prevalence of invasive fungal infections in acute care settings.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on fungal infections.
  • Analysis of epidemiological data on healthcare-associated fungal infections.
  • Discussion of clinical presentations and management strategies.

Main Results:

  • Superficial fungal infections are frequently managed in primary care.
  • Immunocompromised patients in hospitals are at high risk for severe fungal infections.
  • Systemic fungal infections are an increasing cause of healthcare-associated infections.

Conclusions:

  • Nurses in primary care are crucial for early detection and management of superficial fungal infections.
  • Vigilance and appropriate interventions are necessary to combat invasive fungal infections in hospitalized patients.
  • Addressing the rising incidence of healthcare-associated fungal infections requires a multi-faceted approach.

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