Opportunistic Fungal Infections in Critical Care Units

Abstract

Fungal infections are rare compared with bacterial infections, but they are on the increase in critical care units. Diagnosis can be difficult, resulting in increased mortality. Immunocompromised patients are at higher risk for fungal infections, including organ transplant, oncology, and HIV/AIDS patients. Fatigue and fever are common symptoms that require critical care nurses to remain vigilant in assessment to identify at-risk patients and promote use of timely cultures and appropriate treatments for fungal infections. Critical care nurses can contribute to decreasing risk for fungal infections by controlling glucose levels, decreasing the use of invasive lines, and preventing unnecessary antibiotic use.

Keywords: Aspergillus; Candida; Coccidioidomycosis; Critical care; Cryptococcus; Histoplasmosis; Invasive fungal infections; Pneumocystis jirovecii.