COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis at an Academic Medical Center in the Midwestern United States

Abstract

Pulmonary aspergillosis has been reported at high rates in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We retrospectively assessed all patients admitted to an intensive care unit during the early COVID-19 surge (3/17/20–5/10/20) at our medical center in the midwestern USA for the presence of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). Patients were not routinely screened for CAPA; diagnostic work-up for fungal infections was pursued when clinically indicated. Among 256 patients admitted to the ICU with severe COVID-19, 188 (73%) were intubated and 62 (24%) ultimately expired within 30 days of admission to the ICU. Only three patients (1%) were found to have CAPA; diagnosis was made by tracheal aspirate cultures in two cases and by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid Aspergillus galactomannan in one case. None of the patients who developed CAPA had classic risk factors for invasive fungal infection. The occurrence of CAPA was much lower than that reported at other centers, likely reflecting the local epidemiology.