OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical features of invasive pulmonary fungal infections (IPFIs) after biliary atresia (BA) surgery and related risk factors.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 49 children with IPFIs after BA surgery, including clinical features, lung imaging findings, and pathogenic features. The risk factors for IPFIs after BA surgery were also analyzed.

RESULTSThe most common pathogens of IPFIs after BA surgery was Candida albicans (17 strains, 45%), followed by Candida tropicalis (7 strains, 18%), Aspergillus (6 strains, 16%), Candida krusei (3 strains, 8%), Candida glabrata (3 strains, 8%), and Candida parapsilosis (2 strains, 5%). Major clinical manifestations included pyrexia, cough, and shortness of breath, as well as dyspnea in severe cases; the incidence rate of shortness of breath reached 78%, and 35% of all children had no obvious rale. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age at the time of surgery, time of glucocorticoid application, cumulative time of the application of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and recurrent cholangitis were major risk factors for IPFIs after BA surgery.

CONCLUSIONSThe three most common pathogens of IPFIs after BA surgery are Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Aspergillus. It is important to perform surgery as early as possible, avoid recurrent cholangitis, and shorten the course of the treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics and glucocorticoids for decreasing the risk of IPFIs.