Fungal infections of the immunocompromised host: clinical and laboratory aspects

Fungal infections of the immunocompromised host are being seen with greater frequency than ever before. In addition, a growing list of unusual and unexpected etiologic agents presents a unique and difficult challenge to the clinician and microbiologist. The clinical manifestations of opportunistic fungal infections are often not characteristic and, in many instances, may prevent a rapid diagnosis from being made. Clinical microbiology laboratories should consider any organism as a potential etiologic agent. This requires that all fungi recovered from immunocompromised patients be thoroughly identified and reported so that their clinical significance may be assessed. This review presents a brief discussion of the clinical and laboratory aspects of some fungal infections seen in this important group of patients.