Increase in mucormycosis hospitalizations in southeastern Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2010-2021 time series

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Ivan Lira dos Santos, Carolina Specian Sartori, André Giglio Bueno, Elisa Teixeira Mendes
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2023
• Subjects: Hospitalization trend; Mucormycosis; COVID-19; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0333-2022; https://doaj.org/article/e8cdc46ad54b448d88a73a9eb1ed0cec

ABSTRACT Background: Mucormycosis is a severe invasive fungal disease. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, outbreaks have been reported worldwide, but epidemiological studies are still scarce in Brazil. Methods: We conducted a time-series cohort hospitalization study (2010-2021) in southeastern Brazil. Results: There were 311 cases (85 during the pandemic), with significant (P < 0.05) involvement of patients older than 40 years (84%), white patients (78%), rhinocerebral site (63%), and São Paulo State residents (84%). Conclusions: Mucormycosis hospitalizations were highly prevalent. Further studies are needed to assess the burden of COVID-19 on mucormycosis in Brazil.