# Invasive Fusariosis: Unusual Cases over 10 Years in a Tertiary Care Hospital and a Review of the Literature from Saudi Arabia

## TL;DR

This paper reports three rare cases of invasive fusariosis in Saudi Arabia over 10 years and highlights the need for more research on this fungal infection.

## Contribution

The study provides the first detailed report of invasive fusariosis cases in Saudi Arabia over a decade.

## Key findings

- Three cases of invasive fusariosis were identified over a 10-year period, with all occurring in the last three years.
- The incidence was 0.4 cases per 10,000 admissions per year during the last three years of the study.
- None of the patients died within 30 days of diagnosis, despite varying immune status.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Fusarium species are recognized as difficult-to-treat opportunistic pathogens due to extensive antifungal resistance and high mortality rates. Variability in its incidence and outcomes exists across different countries and centers. Large studies on Fusarium species are lacking in Saudi Arabia, with most previous publications being case reports. We describe all cases of invasive fusariosis identified at a tertiary center during a 10-year period and review previous reports in the country. Methods: A retrospective search of hospital records and the microbiology database was conducted to identify cases of invasive fusariosis among patients admitted during 2016–2025 at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Results: Three cases of invasive fusariosis occurring over a 10-year period were identified. All cases occurred in the last three years of the study period. The incidence during those three years was 0.4 cases per 10,000 admissions per year. Clinical manifestations were fungemia in two immunocompetent patients and ulcers progressing to osteomyelitis in an immunocompromised patient. None of the patients progressed to death within 30 days of diagnosis. Conclusions: Data on Fusarium species are scarce in Saudi Arabia. Additional studies are required to better understand differences in invasive fusariosis between countries.