Prevalence of fungal pathogens among respiratory tract infections

Abstract

One-third of infections associated mortality is caused by respiratory diseases. Among these accounting, fungal respiratory infections are largely unrecognized. Although treatment, most invasive fungal infections stilled responsible forhigh mortality. Fungal spores typically enter the lung by inhalation, the spores reach lung through the bloodstream and cause fungal pneumonia. Inside the alveoli, the fungal spores travel throughout intracellular spaces and also passage to adjacent alveoli through connecting pores. One hundred twenty specimens including bronchoalveolar lavage, sinus, and sputum (40 specimens each) were randomized collected from patients with respiratory problems who attended Baquba Teaching Hospital for a period 7 months.Fungal cultures were performed using primary culture onto Sabouraud´s dextrose agar containing chloramphenicol which incubated at 28ºC for 1-2 weeks. The positive results were identified using standard conventional methods. Candida species reportedalmost fungal pneumonia isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage and sinus sites, with a percentage 28.6% and 26.7%, respectively. Whilst, Aspergillus fumigates was the almost fungal isolates from sputum specimens, with a percentage 24%. Young and adult groups were most percentage infected with Candida species (35.7% and 21.1%), respectively. Whilst old aged were most infected with A. fumigates (23.8%) The findings concluded that Candida species and Aspergillusfumigates reported the highest frequency of fungal pneumonia infections.