Trends and Patterns of Fungal Infections: A Six-Year Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Cancer Hospital in Pakistan (2018–2023)

Farooq, Humaira; Nizamuddin, Summiya; Qazi, Romena; Malik, Nasrullah; Raza, Aun; Sultan, Faisal

doi:10.22034/cmm.2026.345481.1711

Trends and Patterns of Fungal Infections: A Six-Year Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Cancer Hospital in Pakistan (2018–2023)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

Humaira Farooq ¹

Summiya Nizamuddin ²

Romena Qazi ²

Nasrullah Malik ²

Aun Raza ³

Faisal Sultan ³

¹ Department of Basic Sciences Research and Pathology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan

² Department of Pathology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan

³ Consultant Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan

10.22034/cmm.2026.345481.1711

Abstract

Background and purpose:

Immunocompromised patients, particularly those with cancer, are at heightened risk for fungal infections. In Pakistan, limited diagnostic capacity and surveillance hinder efforts to monitor and control these infections effectively. The current study aimed to examine six-year trends in fungal infections and species distribution among patients at a tertiary care cancer hospital in Pakistan.

Methods:

A retrospective review of laboratory-confirmed fungal isolates was conducted from January 2018 to December 2023. Data on demographics, specimen types and fungal species were extracted from the hospital information system and descriptively analyzed.

Results:

A total of 1,815 fungal isolates were identified, with yeasts predominating (72.8%), mainly Candida albicans. Non-albicans species such as C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. glabrata were also frequent. Among molds (27.2%), Aspergillus flavus was the leading species. The most common specimen sources were urine (50.3%), blood (12.1%), and wound swabs (7.3%).

Conclusion:

Candida albicans remains the most common organism; amongst non-albicans variants, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida glabrata figure prominently. Aspergillus flavus is commonly seen mold in this setting. These findings underscore the need for strengthened diagnostic capacity and data standardization in cancer care in Pakistan.

Keywords

Fungal infections

Candida

Aspergillus

Pakistan

Epidemiology

Subjects