Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 22, 2026

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract
07:42

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract

Published on: July 1, 2020

5.9K

Epidemiology of Invasive Fungal Disease in Children

Zoi Dorothea Pana1,2, Emmanuel Roilides2, Adilia Warris3

  • 1Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control Department (HEIC), Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
|September 21, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) in children, including invasive candidiasis (IC) and invasive aspergillosis (IA), remains a significant threat despite progress. Understanding current epidemiology is crucial for managing at-risk pediatric populations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Mycology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Invasive fungal disease (IFD) poses a significant threat to pediatric patients, causing morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.
  • While the incidence of invasive candidiasis (IC) has decreased in neonates and children, the growing population of immunocompromised children increases IFD risk.
  • Contemporary understanding of IFD epidemiology is essential for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current epidemiology of pediatric invasive fungal disease (IFD).
  • To focus on the two most common IFDs in children: invasive candidiasis (IC) and invasive aspergillosis (IA).
  • To highlight the importance of updated incidence and species distribution data for resource allocation.

Main Methods:

  • This is a review article, synthesizing existing data on pediatric IFD.
  • Focuses on epidemiological trends, incidence rates, and species distribution.
  • Examines risk factors and vulnerable pediatric populations.

Main Results:

  • A decreasing trend in invasive candidiasis (IC) incidence has been observed over the past 15 years.
  • Despite this, IFD remains a major cause of death and illness in immunocompromised children.
  • Key at-risk groups include children with hematologic malignancy, immunodeficiencies, transplant recipients, and premature neonates.

Conclusions:

  • Continued surveillance and updated epidemiological data for pediatric IFD are necessary.
  • Targeted preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies are crucial for at-risk pediatric populations.
  • Further research into the epidemiology of IC and invasive aspergillosis (IA) in children is warranted.
Keywords:
epidemiologyinvasive aspergillosisinvasive candidiasisinvasive fungal diseasepediatric patients

More Related Videos

Histological Quantification to Determine Lung Fungal Burden in Experimental Aspergillosis09:52

Histological Quantification to Determine Lung Fungal Burden in Experimental Aspergillosis

Published on: March 9, 2018

11.1K
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA

Published on: February 9, 2011

23.7K

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
593
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
302
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
14.1K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
276
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
356
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
353