Filamentous fungi, and their antifungal susceptibilities, isolated from patients at an oncology hospital in Turkey.

BACKGROUND

Fungal infections affect especially to patients with cancer and those who are immunocompromised.

AIMS: We analyzed the prevalence of filamentous fungi in patients at Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital from 2022 to 2024; antifungal susceptibility tests were also carried out.

METHODS

Filamentous fungi were analyzed by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight), and antifungal susceptibility was tested by the broth microdilution method.

RESULTS

Filamentous fungi were recovered from 66 (6.5%) of 1020 samples: 31(47%) deep tracheal aspirates, 13 (19.7%) sputum, 10 (15.2%) ear swabs, nine (13.6%) biopsies, and three (4.5%) bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Filamentous fungi other than Aspergillus grew from 10 (15.2%) samples, while Aspergillus species were recovered in 56 (84.8%). Of the 56 Aspergillus, 21 (31.8%) were Aspergillus fumigatus, 15 (22.7%) were Aspergillus flavus, 14 (21.2%) were Aspergillus niger, three (4.5%) were Aspergillus terreus, and one strain (1.5%) each of the following species were identified: Aspergillus tamarii, Aspergillus nidulans, and Aspergillus calidoustus. Of 66 patients from whom a fungal isolate was recovered, 50 (75.8%) had cancer. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined in 45 (80.4%) Aspergillus isolates. Eight (8/19) A. fumigatus, seven (7/13) A. flavus, and three (3/11) A. niger were non-wild type (WT) according to amphotericin B MIC values. Four (4/13) A. flavus and two (2/19) A. fumigatus were non-WT according to itraconazole MIC values. One (1/13) A. flavus was non-WT according to voriconazole MIC value.

CONCLUSIONS

The filamentous fungi recovered from the patients showed high antifungal MIC/MEC values, and some isolates had high amphotericin B MICs. Voriconazole was effective in vitro against A. fumigatus.