The PATH (Prospective Antifungal Therapy) Alliance® registry and invasive fungal infections: update 2012

The Prospective Antifungal Therapy Alliance (PATH Alliance®) performed prospective surveillance of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) among patients hospitalized at 25 medical centers in North America between 2004 and 2008, collecting information on the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and mortality rates of IFIs. In total, 7526 IFIs were identified in 6845 patients. Candida spp. (73.4%) were the most common pathogens, followed by Aspergillus spp. (13.3%), and other yeasts (6.2%). Culture was the most frequently used diagnostic test in the majority of IFI categories. Most patients with invasive candidiasis were treated with fluconazole (48.3%) and the echinocandins (34.0%), while voriconazole (45.5%) was the main antifungal agent for invasive aspergillosis. The 12-week survival rate ranged from 37.5% for hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients to ~ 75.0% for those with HIV/AIDS. In summary, the findings of the PATH Alliance® registry provide a better understanding of the epidemiology of a vast variety and large numbers of IFIs.