A rare cause of malignant otitis externa and skull base osteomyelitis.

An elderly male with type 2 diabetes presented with a 2-month history of otalgia and severe headaches. He was diagnosed with malignant otitis externa (MOE) and was commenced on empirical treatment with oral ciprofloxacin. Pseudomonas is the most common cause of MOE. A baseline CT scan was undertaken that demonstrated skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) due to findings of bone erosion at the mastoid tip and an infiltrating soft tissue mass eroding the clivus. Eight weeks later, he returned with worsening and bilateral symptoms of otitis externa, hearing loss, temporomandibular pain and dysfunction. Worsening and now bilateral malignant otitis externa were confirmed with an MRI scan that also demonstrated a small fluid collection in his left temporal region. The collection was aspirated and grew scedosporium apiospermum. He was diagnosed with fungal SBO and was commenced on treatment with the antifungal voriconazole, with significant improvement in symptoms and radiological findings. Fungal osteomyelitis is more likely in immunosuppressed patients, particularly those with type 2 diabetes. Fungal aetiology should be suspected in patients with progressive symptoms, despite treatment. A microbiology diagnosis of fungal SBO or MOE can be challenging to obtain and can lead to diagnostic delay. A sampling of the external auditory canal can aid in diagnosing MOE; however, scedosporium may also be isolated as a commensal organism. Aspirations from accessible fluid collections, infratemporal fossa needle sample and bone biopsy can provide material for diagnosis. Scedosporium is a rare cause of disease in humans, however, fungal infections are increasing in humans, due to an increase in susceptible populations. Scedosporium apiospermum is a rare cause of SBO and should be considered in patients not responding to standard treatment.

Manifestation and associated factors of systemic and local allergy among patients with allergic fungal rhinosinusitis: An observational study.

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a subtype of chronic rhinosinusitis, characterized by excessive immune responses to environmental molds or fungi. The diagnosis and classification of AFRS into systemic and local types remain clinically challenging due to overlapping characteristics. This study investigated the prevalence of AFRS, its manifestation and associated factors in systemic and local AFRS. A total of 200 patients diagnosed with fungal rhinosinusitis underwent both skin provocation tests (SPT) and nasal provocation tests (NPT) to confirm AFRS and classify systemic and local types. Patients were considered to have AFRS if either the SPT or NPT was positive. Among these, patients with systemic AFRS were those who had a SPT positive. Local AFRS was when patients had a negative SPT and a positive NPT. Medical history, serum total IgE level, nasal endoscopy examinations, and CT scans were also recorded. Most patients were female (65.8%), with a mean age of 55.6 years (SD = 14.4). Based on the SPT and NPT results, 31% of patients (n = 62) were diagnosed with AFRS. Among these, 54.8% (n = 34) had systemic AFRS, while 45.2% (n = 28) had local AFRS. Patients with AFRS exhibited significantly higher levels of total IgE, eosinophils, and more pronounced signs and symptoms compared to those without AFRS. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between patients with systemic AFRS and those with local AFRS. AFRS was prevalent in our study. Among patients with AFRS, both systemic AFRS and local AFRS were also prevalent. While allergic indicators and clinical presentations can aid in AFRS diagnosis, minimal distinctions were observed between systemic and local AFRS. A comprehensive assessment incorporating both local and systemic allergic responses through provocation tests, such as a combination of skin and nasal tests, is imperative for optimizing AFRS diagnosis and management.

Lethal mycotic pseudoaneurysm presenting as isolated sixth nerve palsy.

Pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery caused by skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) is a lethal condition seen in immunocompromised patients, predominantly those with diabetes mellitus. Cranial nerve involvement is a common complication and generally indicates a poor prognosis. We report the case of a 62-year-old diabetic patient who presented with isolated sixth cranial nerve palsy. She had uncontrolled blood sugar levels and high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and she suffered from pyelonephritis. Neuroimaging detected SBO with multiple secondary mycotic pseudoaneurysms prominent at the petrocavernous junction. Ischemia is the most common etiology for an isolated abducens nerve palsy, but in certain cases neuroimaging is warranted to prevent life-threatening complications. This case highlights the importance and urgency of identifying and managing such conditions.

Visual function loss in fungal sphenoid sinusitis: clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Potentially fatal fungal sphenoid sinusitis (FSS) causes visual damage. However, few studies have reported on its visual impairment and prognosis. Five hundred and eleven FSS patients with ocular complications treated at Beijing Tongren Hospital were recruited and clinical features and visual outcomes were determined. Thirty-two of the 511 patients (6%) had visual impairment, with 13 and 19 patients having invasive and noninvasive FSS, respectively. Eighteen patients (56.25%) had diabetes and 2 patient (6.25%) had long-term systemic use of antibiotics (n = 1) and corticosteroids (n = 1). All patients had visual impairment, which was more severe in invasive FSS than in noninvasive FSS. Bony wall defects and sclerosis were observed in 19 patients (59.38%), and 11 patients (34.38%) had microcalcification in their sphenoid sinusitis on computed tomography (CT). After a 5-year follow-up, three patients (9.38%) died. Patients with noninvasive FSS had a higher improvement rate in visual acuity than their counterparts. In the multivariate analysis, sphenoid sinus wall sclerosis on CT was associated with better visual prognosis. FSS can cause vision loss with persistent headaches, particularly in those with diabetes. CT showed the sphenoid sinus wall sclerosis, indicating a better visual prognosis in FSS with visual impairment.

Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of end-stage liver disease complicated by infections.

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome and when complicated with infection the mortality is markedly increased. In patients with ESLD, bacterial or fungal infection can induce or aggravate the occurrence or progression of liver decompensation. Consequently, infections are among the most common complications of disease deterioration. There is an overwhelming need for standardized protocols for early diagnosis and appropriate management for patients with ESLD complicated by infections. Asia Pacific region has the largest number of ESLD patients, due to hepatitis B and the growing population of alcohol and NAFLD. Concomitant infections not only add to organ failure and high mortality but also to financial and healthcare burdens. This consensus document assembled up-to-date knowledge and experience from colleagues across the Asia-Pacific region, providing data on the principles as well as evidence-based current working protocols and practices for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ESLD complicated by infections.

Epidemiology of fungal infection in COVID 19 in Spain during 2020 and 2021: a nationwide study.

We realize a nationwide population-based retrospective study to analyze the characteristics and risk factors of fungal co-infections in COVID-19 hospitalized patients as well as describe their causative agents in the Spanish population in 2020 and 2021. Data were obtained from records in the Minimum Basic Data Set of the National Surveillance System for Hospital Data in Spain, provided by the Ministry of Health, and annually published with two years lag. The assessment of the risk associated with the development of healthcare-associated fungal co-infections was assessed using an adjusted logistic regression model. The incidence of fungal co-infection in COVID-19 hospitalized patients was 1.41%. The main risk factors associated were surgery, sepsis, age, male gender, obesity, and COPD. Co-infection was associated with worse outcomes including higher in-hospital and in ICU mortality, and higher length of stay. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. were the microorganisms more frequent. This is the first study analyzing fungal coinfection at a national level in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Spanish population and one of the few studies available that demonstrate that surgery was an independent risk factor of Aspergillosis coinfection in COVID-19 patients.

Establishing associated risk factors, including fungal and parasitic infections among Malaysians living with schizophrenia.

The aetiology of schizophrenia is multifactorial, and the identification of its risk factors are scarce and highly variable. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the risk factors associated with schizophrenia among Malaysian sub-population. A total of 120 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ) and 180 non-schizophrenic (NS) individuals participated in a questionnaire-based survey. Data of complete questionnaire responses obtained from 91 SZ and 120 NS participants were used in statistical analyses. Stool samples were obtained from the participants and screened for gut parasites and fungi using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The median age were 46 years (interquartile range (IQR) 37 to 60 years) and 35 years (IQR 24 to 47.75 years) for SZ and NS respectively. Multivariable binary logistic regression showed that the factors associated with increased risk of SZ were age, sex, unemployment, presence of other chronic ailment, smoking, and high dairy consumption per week. These factors, except sex, were positively associated with the severity of SZ. Breastfed at infancy as well as vitamin and supplement consumption showed a protective effect against SZ. After data clean-up, fungal or parasitic infections were found in 98% (39/42). of SZ participants and 6.1% (3/49) of NS participants. Our findings identified non-modifiable risk factors (age and sex) and modifiable lifestyle-related risk factors (unemployment, presence of other chronic ailment, smoking, and high dairy consumption per week) associated with SZ and implicate the need for medical attention in preventing fungal and parasitic infections in SZ.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum in anti-MDA5-positive dermatomyositis: Prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To depict the clinical panorama of spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis (anti-MDA5+ DM). METHODS: A total of 1352 patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM), including 384 anti-MDA5+ DM patients were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical profiles of anti-MDA5+ DM-associated SPM were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified that 9.4 % (36/384) of anti-MDA5+ DM patients were complicated with SPM, which was significantly higher than that of non-anti-MDA5+ DM and other IIM subtypes (P all <0.001). SPM developed at a median of 5.5 (3.0, 12.0) months after anti-MDA5+ DM onset. Anti-MDA5+ DM patients complicated with SPM showed a significantly higher frequency of fever, dyspnea, and pulmonary infection including viral and fungal infections compared to those without SPM (P all < 0.05). Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and fungal infections were identified to be independent risk factors for SPM development in the anti-MDA5+ DM. SPM and non-SPM patients in our anti-MDA5+ DM cohort showed comparable short-term and long-term survival (P = 0.236). Furthermore, in the SPM group, we found that the non-survivors had a lower peripheral lymphocyte count, higher LDH level, and higher frequency of intensification of immunosuppressive treatment (IST) than survivors. The elevated LDH level and intensification of IST were independent risk factors for increased mortality in anti-MDA5+ DM-associated SPM patients. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one-tenth of patients with anti-MDA5+ DM develop SPM. Both CMV and fungal infections are risk factors for SPM occurrence. The development of SPM does not worsen the prognosis of anti-MDA5+ DM patients, and the intensification of IST does harm to the SPM prognosis.

Prayer-Related Dermatoses in Muslims.

Prayer rituals are an integral part of the daily lives of Muslims worldwide. This comprehensive review aims to explore the common dermatoses associated with prayer among Muslims and provide insights for dermatologists to facilitate accurate diagnosis and reduce unnecessary investigations. A systematic literature search returned 367 published articles, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. Friction-induced dermatitis was the most frequently reported dermatosis, primarily affecting the forehead, knees, dorsum of the feet, and lateral malleoli. Friction-related marks often present as hyperpigmented lichenified plaques, and are more common in elderly individuals and males. Cases of contact dermatitis and fungal infections were also reported. Allergic contact dermatitis was linked to perfume application before Friday prayers, whereas fungal infections were attributed to increased water retention between toe webs, possibly related to communal ablution and prayer areas. Awareness of these prayer-related dermatoses enables dermatologists to provide holistic care for diverse populations and targeting specific interventions with respect for patients' religious beliefs. For example, Muslim patients with symptomatic frictional dermatoses may benefit from use of padded prayer rugs, especially diabetic patients whose lesions carry an increased risk of progressing to neuropathic ulcers.

Nanotechnology-based fungal detection and treatment: current status and future perspective.

Fungal infections impose a significant impact on global health and encompass major expenditures in medical treatments. Human mycoses, a fungal co-infection associated with SARS-CoV-2, is caused by opportunistic fungal pathogens and is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. Recently, there is increasing threat about spread of antimicrobial resistance in fungus, mostly in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections are associated with several issues, including tedious and non-selective detection methods, the growth of drug-resistant bacteria, severe side effects, and ineffective drug delivery. Thus, a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method and a high-efficacy and low-toxicity therapeutic approach are needed. Nanomedicine has emerged as a viable option for overcoming these limitations. Due to the unique physicochemical and optical properties of nanomaterials and newer biosensing techniques, nanodiagnostics play an important role in the accurate and prompt differentiation and detection of fungal diseases. Additionally, nano-based drug delivery techniques can increase drug permeability, reduce adverse effects, and extend systemic circulation time and drug half-life. This review paper is aimed at highlighting recent, promising, and unique trends in nanotechnology to design and develop diagnostics and treatment methods for fungal diseases.

Determinants of clinical response to empirical antibiotic treatment in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial and fungal infections-Results from the ICA "Global Study" (EABCIR-Global Study).

BACKGROUND: The administration of an appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment is essential in cirrhosis and severe bacterial infections. We aimed to investigate the predictors of clinical response of empirical antibiotic treatment in a prospective cohort of patients with cirrhosis and bacterial and fungal infections included in the International Club of Ascites "Global Study." METHODS: Patients hospitalized with cirrhosis and bacterial/fungal infection were prospectively enrolled at 46 centers. Clinical response to antibiotic treatment was defined according to changes in markers of infection/inflammation, vital signs, improvement of organ failure, and results of cultures. RESULTS: From October 2015 to September 2016, 1302 patients were included at 46 centers. A clinical response was achieved in only 61% of cases. Independent predictors of lack of clinical response to empirical treatment were C-reactive protein (OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.02-1.31), blood leukocyte count (OR = 1.39;95% CI = 1.09-1.77), serum albumin (OR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.55-0.88), nosocomial infections (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.20-2.38), pneumonia (OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.22-2.53), and ineffective treatment according to antibiotic susceptibility test (OR = 5.32; 95% CI = 3.47-8.57). Patients with a lack of clinical response to first-line antibiotic treatment had a significantly lower resolution rate of infections (55% vs. 96%; p < 0.001), a higher incidence of second infections (29% vs. 15%; p < 0.001), shock (35% vs. 7%; p < 0.001) and new organ failures (52% vs. 19 %; p < 0.001) than responders. Clinical response to empirical treatment was an independent predictor of 28-day survival ( subdistribution = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.14-0.27). CONCLUSIONS: Four out of 10 patients with cirrhosis do not respond to the first-line antibiotic therapy, leading to lower resolution of infections and higher mortality. Broader-spectrum antibiotics and strategies targeting systemic inflammation may improve prognosis in patients with a high degree of inflammation, low serum albumin levels, and severe liver impairment.

Position statement on infection screening, prophylaxis, and vaccination of pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases and immunosuppressive therapies, part 3: precautions in situations of surgery, fever, and opportunistic infections.

The objective of this study is to provide practical recommendations on the management of pediatric patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapies. The recommendations specifically address the cases of surgery, fever, and opportunistic infections (varicella, herpes-zoster, tuberculosis, invasive fungal disease). A qualitative approach was applied. A narrative literature review was performed via Medline. Primary searches were conducted using MeSH terms and free text to identify publications on infections and vaccinations in pediatric patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapies. The results were presented and discussed in a nominal group meeting, comprising a committee of 12 pediatric rheumatologists from the Infection Prevention and Treatment Working Group of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Rheumatology. Several recommendations were generated. A consensus procedure was implemented via a Delphi process; this was extended to members of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Rheumatology and Spanish Society of Pediatric Infectious Disease of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics. Participants produced a score ranging from 0 (totally disagree) to 10 (totally agree). Agreement was defined as a vote ≥ 7 by at least 70% of participants. The literature review included more than 400 articles. Overall, 63 recommendations (19 on surgery, fever, and opportunistic infections) were generated and voted by 59 pediatric rheumatologists and other pediatric specialists. Agreement was reached for all 63 recommendations. The recommendations on special situations cover management in cases of surgery, fever, and opportunistic infections (varicella, herpes-zoster, tuberculosis, and invasive fungal disease).  Conclusions: Hereby, we provided consensus and updated of recommendations about the management of special situations such as surgery, fever, and opportunistic in children with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapies. Several of the recommendations depend largely on clinical judgement and specific balance between risk and benefit for each individual and situation. To assess this risk, the clinician should have knowledge of the drugs, the patient's previous situation as well as the current infectious disease, in addition to experience. What is Known: • Infectious diseases and related complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases. • Information on how to manage the treatment in situations of fever, opportunistic infections, and surgery in children is limited, and guidelines for action are often extrapolated from adults. What is New: • In the absence of strong evidence, a literature review and a Delphi survey were conducted to establish a series of expert recommendations that could support the clinical practice, providing a practical and simple day-to-day approach to be used by pediatric rheumatologists.

Invasive fungal infection in ANCA-associated vasculitis: Between the Devil and Deep blue sea. Case series and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) are susceptible to opportunistic infections, including invasive fungal infections (IFI). This is due to many factors, including prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. The treatment of AAV with such IFIs is challenging. METHODS: A descriptive analysis of 5 patients with AAV complicated by concomitant invasive fungal infections was performed. We also have done a comprehensive literature review of IFIs in AAV using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. RESULTS: All 5 patients initially received immunosuppressive medication but subsequently acquired IFI. One patient had sphenoid sinus involvement, and four had lung parenchymal involvement. Aspergillus infection was diagnosed in three patients, Cryptococcus infection in one patient and mixed infection with Aspergillus and Mucor infection in one patient. All our patients were on low doses of corticosteroids for several months to years or had received high-dose pulse steroids with cyclophosphamide in the last few weeks before being diagnosed with IFI. It was difficult to distinguish disease activity from IFI in all the cases. Two of the five patients died despite antifungal therapy. The literature review revealed a prevalence of IFIs ranging from 1 to 9.6% (excluding pneumocystis pneumonia). Aspergillosis was the predominant type of IFI, affecting 46 of 86 patients. Most of these patients (40/46) had pulmonary involvement. The prognosis for patients with IFI was consistently poor, as evidenced by 19 deaths out of 29 reported outcomes. CONCLUSION: Overall, IFIs have a poor prognosis in patients with AAV. Differentiating disease activity from IFI is difficult because of similar organ distribution, imaging lesions, and histopathological characteristics. A high suspicion index and good-quality microbiology are needed for early treatment and prevention of mortality.

Cavernous Sinus Syndrome Caused by Noninvasive Fungal Maxillary Sinusitis.

It is rare that cavernous sinus complications are caused by maxillary sinus lesions because the locations of these lesions are some distant from each other. The authors describe an unusual presentation that the primary lesion was located in the maxillary sinus and triggered cavernous sinus syndrome and optic nerve symptoms. The most likely possibility was that the infection traveled retrograde along the vascular plexus. Removal of maxillary sinus lesions and establishment ventilation may achieve source control.

Logistic Regression Analysis of Factors Associated with the Diagnosis of Fungal Bulbar Sinusitis in Western Yunnan.

Objective: Fungal bulb sinusitis (FBS) is mainly caused by fungal infection. Due to its similar clinical symptoms to other sinus diseases such as chronic sinusitis and sinus tumors, it is very easy to have adverse events such as missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis during diagnosis, which further affects patients' negative emotions of quality of life. Therefore, this study investigated the differences between FBS and CRS in Yunnan and western Yunnan, and analyzed the independent risk factors for the diagnosis of FBS, so as to predict the probability of diagnosis of FBS in patients with inflammatory diseases of nasal cavity and sinuses. Methods: A total of 128 FBS patients diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University from January 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively selected as the study objects, and 112 FBS patients eligible for this study were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria such as Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and were set as the study group. And 112 patients with CRS diagnosed in the same period were selected as the control group. Single factor analysis (χ2 test) was applied to screen out the factors with significant differences in the preoperative clinical data of the two diseases, which were incorporated into the multivariate Logistic regression model to find independent risk factors for the diagnosis of FBS, establish the diagnosis prediction equation of the disease, and verify the sensitivity and specificity of the equation by using the collected clinical data. Results: Multifactorial analysis indicated that age, blood in aspirin, calcified spots, unilateral or bilateral lesions, single or multiple sinus tract lesions, and osteophytes were influential as independent risk factors for diagnosing FBS. The O.R.s for unilateral or bilateral lesions, calcified points, single or multiple sinus tract lesions, and blood in aspirin correlated stronger than 10 with the diagnosis of FBS. Based on these results, a logistic regression prediction equation for the diagnosis of FBS was developed: y = -6.879 + 1.295x1 + 2.519x2 + 3.010x3 + 3.605x4 + 2.977x5 + 1.596x6. P = exp(y)/[1 + exp(y)]. Validation revealed that 91.1% of FBS patients had a diagnostic probability of P>0.5 and 79.5% had a diagnostic probability of P > .9. In contrast, only 4.5% of CRS patients had a diagnostic probability of P > .5 and 0 patients had a diagnostic probability of P > .9. Conclusions: FBS remains diagnostic in unilateral or bilateral lesions, calcified spots, single or multiple sinus lesions, and aspirin-containing blood. In addition, the multifactorial regression prediction equation can calculate the probability of a preoperative diagnosis of FBS in patients with inflammatory nasal and sinus diseases, and the prediction efficacy of the established prediction model is good. In addition, the multifactor regression prediction equation has a wide range of applications and can also be used to verify the correlation of other subsequent experiments.

Incidence of bacterial and fungal infections in Polish pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the pandemic.

The most common complications related to the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are infections. The aim of the study was to analyze the incidence and mortality rates among pediatric patients with ALL who were treated in 17 Polish pediatric hematology centers in 2020-2021 during the pandemic. Additionally, we compared these results with those of our previous study, which we conducted in the years 2012-2017. The retrospective analysis included 460 patients aged 1-18 years with newly diagnosed ALL. In our study, 361/460 (78.5%) children were reported to have microbiologically documented bacterial infections during chemotherapy. Ten patients (2.8%) died due to sepsis. Fungal infections were reported in 99 children (21.5%), of whom five (5.1%) died due to the infection. We especially observed an increase in bacterial infections during the pandemic period compared to the previous study. The directions of our actions should be to consider antibiotic prophylaxis, shorten the duration of hospitalization, and educate parents and medical staff about complications (mainly infections) during anticancer therapy. It is necessary to continue clinical studies evaluating infection prophylaxis to improve outcomes in childhood ALL patients.

Central nervous system Aspergillus quadrilineatus infection in a COVID-19 patient, a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Viral pneumonia such as COVID-19-associated aspergillosis could increase susceptibility to fungal super-infections in critically ill patients. METHODS: Here we report a pediatric case of Aspergillus quadrilineatus cerebral infection in a recently diagnosed COVID-19-positive patient underlying acute lymphocytic leukemia. Morphological, molecular methods, and sequencing were used to identify this emerging species. RESULTS: Histopathological examination showed a granulomatous necrotic area containing dichotomously branching septate hyphae indicating a presumptive Aspergillus structure. The species-level identity of isolate growing on brain biopsy culture was confirmed by PCR sequencing of the ß-tubulin gene as A. quadrilineatus. Using the CLSI M38-A3 broth microdilution methodology, the in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing demonstrated 0.032 µg/mL MIC for posaconazole, caspofungin, and anidulafungin and 8 µg/mL against amphotericin B. A combination of intravenous liposomal amphotericin B and caspofungin therapy for 8 days did not improve the patient's condition. The patient gradually continued to deteriorate and expired. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first COVID-19-associated cerebral aspergillosis due to A. quadrilineatus in a pediatric patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia. However, comprehensive screening studies are highly recommended to evaluate its frequency and antifungal susceptibility profiles. Before being recommended as first-line therapy in high-risk patients, more antifungal susceptibility data are needed.