ABSTRACT
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a major cause of severe disease in a variety of critically ill patients. High-risk constellations include primarily immunocompromised individuals with prolonged episodes of profound neutropenia, such as patients with hematologic malignancies1-3; recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT),4,5 peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT),6 or solid organ transplant (SOT)7,8; patients with AIDS9; intensive care patients10; patients undergoing long-term corticosteroid therapy11,12; and preterm neonates.13 In addition to the state of immunosuppression, important risk factors of IFI also include long-term exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, long presence of central indwelling catheters,14-18 and the general condition and the geographic location of the patients.19
