COVID-19 ASSOCIATED FUNGAL INFECTIONS, A DEFINITE BOON FOR MYCOLOGY LABORATORIES – AN EXPERIENCE FROM A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN PUNJAB, INDIA.

Fungal infections constituted a major chunk of secondary infections in COVID-19 due to immunosuppresion and rampant use of steroids. Invasive Aspergillosis, Candidemia and COVID associated mucormycois (CAM) post second wave in India among COVID-19 patients was a challenging experience for the clinicians. Increased burden of fungal infections led to a tremendous increase in the sample load of the mycology laboratories across the country. This retrospective study was planned to observe the types of fungal infections reported during COVID-19 pandemic and study the impact of COVID-19 on the sample burden in the mycology laboratory of our tertiary care hospital. Samples received from admitted patients in mycology laboratory were processed using standard procedures. The data was collected and analysed in terms of change in the sample numbers, sample types received during pre and post COVID years (Year 2019 to Year 2022) and also the types of fungal infections reported during pandemic. Total number of samples received in the year 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were 656, 396, 940 and 1276 respectively while the fungal positivity reported was 6.5%, 11.8%, 23.22% and 22.02% in the consecutive years. Sputum remained the predominant sample type in all four years. Candidemia followed by invasive aspergillosis and CAM were commonly reported fungal infections during COVID-19 pandemic. Mucormycosis along with other COVID-19 associated fungal infections have proven to be a boon for mycology in India. Increased awareness among treating clinicians has increased the sample burden in mycology laboratories.