Diagnosis and Management of Invasive Fungal Wound Infections in Burn Patients

Invasive fungal wound infection (FWI) after burn injury, while uncommon, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There are numerous risk factors for FWI, including large size incomplete excision of wounds. FWI can be challenging to diagnose. Close attention changes in the physical examination and, particular, appearance wounds leads team suspicious FWI. Once suspected, histopathological evaluation an incisional biopsy provides definitive diagnosis, tissue culture enables identification causative organism species level facilitates targeted antifungal therapy. Management focuses largely on aggressive surgical intervention, addition adjunctive systemic topical antifungals nonpharmacologic therapies. Treatment involves a multifaceted approach, which requires expertise from entire multidisciplinary team.