MICROMYCETES INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH THERMAL TRAUMA

Determination of basic epidemiological parameters of burn patients with micromycetes infection. Identification of the most important micromycetes in burn patients.

Monocentre retrospective study enrolling all adult burn patients who were hospitalized between 2007 and 2015 and in whom micromycetes were isolated during hospitalization. ABSI index (Abbreviated Burn Severity Index) was used to evaluate severity of thermal trauma. Results were statistically analysed.

There were 61 patients with thermal trauma identified in total during the period of observation, and there were yeast or fibrous fungi isolated. There were 37 males and 24 females (M:F ratio - 1.5:1) in this group. The average age of patients was 57.3 years (29 patients were aged up to 60 years, 32 patients were over the age of 60 years, inclusive). 6 patients died (lethality was 9.8%). The average extent of the burn area was 21.6% TBSA (median 14.0%). There were 90 strains of micromycetes cultured in total in these patients (79 yeasts, 11 fibrous fungi). Micromycetes were isolated from burn area in 30 patients, from the lower airways in 19 patients, from the urogenital area in 15 patients and from blood culture in 7 patients. Non-albicans Candida species were predominant among yeasts (60 strains); Candida albicans was isolated 16 times in total. Aspergillus fumigatus (4 isolations) and Fusarium species (2 isolations) were predominant species among fibrous fungi.

We successfully identified the basic epidemiological parameters in burn patients with micromycetes infection, similarly to the most important yeasts and fibrous fungi causing infection in these patients.