Pulmonary fungal infections in diabetic postcoronavirus disease 2019 patients - A report of three cases

Abstract

This article aims to present the spectrum of pulmonary fungal infections observed in postcoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diabetic patients. In this case series, three post-COVID-19 diabetic patients with poor glycemic control were diagnosed with pulmonary mucormycosis, invasive candidiasis, and pulmonary aspergillosis, respectively. The patients were subjected to clinical, radiological evaluation, including bronchoscopy. The etiologic agents were isolated in these cases and identified by biopsy and subsequent histopathological confirmation. A high index of suspicion, early use of appropriate diagnostic methods aided with suitable antifungal agents, and control of risk factors such as diabetes mellitus are the main factors governing the successful management of fungal infections in post-COVID-19 immune-suppressed patients, presenting with worsening respiratory symptoms.

Keywords

• bronchoalveolar lavage
• coronavirus disease 2019
• coronavirus disease 2019-associated pulmonary aspergillosis
• diabetes mellitus
• invasive candidiasis
• mucormycosis