Estimated burden of serious mycoses in Poland

TL;DR

This study estimates the burden of serious fungal infections in Poland, revealing significant but under-recognized health issues requiring better surveillance.

Contribution

The study provides the first comprehensive national estimates of serious mycoses in Poland using published data and health statistics.

Findings

Recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis affects 12,300–81,600 women annually in Poland.

Invasive aspergillosis is the most important mould infection, with about 5000 estimated cases annually.

Serious mycoses are identified as a relevant but under-recognized health problem in Poland.

Abstract

Poland, with a population of 38 million, lacks a comprehensive dataset on major fungal infections, leaving the country absent from international fungal burden maps. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of databases of published literature and national demographic and health data to estimate the incidence and prevalence of serious fungal infections in Poland, focusing on the general population and high-risk groups. The estimates indicate a substantial and heterogeneous burden of serious mycoses in Poland. The most common yeast infection is recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis, affecting 12,300–81,600 women annually, while invasive candidosis leads to 280–4600 cases of candidaemia, mostly in intensive care units. Cryptococcosis is very rare, with about 30 cases per year, and Pneumocystis pneumonia occurs in 53–959 patients annually. Invasive aspergillosis, with about 5000 estimated cases annually, is the most important mould infection, mainly affecting patients with respiratory disease and immunosuppression. Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis adds about 3,200 cases each year. Mucormycosis is estimated at around 60 cases annually. Other mycoses, such as keratitis and subcutaneous forms, are reported only sporadically. These findings highlight that serious mycoses are a relevant but under-recognized health problem in Poland and underline the need for improved surveillance and targeted public health measures.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-19690-4.

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