Critically ill patients, particularly those with features of immunosuppression, are susceptible to invasive fungal infections (IFI), which pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Candida and Aspergillus, the two most prominent fungal pathogens in this population, will be the focus of this short review.

Invasive candidiasis (IC) refers to systemic infections by yeasts belonging to the genus Candida. C. albicans remains the dominant strain, but the epidemiology of IC is changing towards an increase of non-albicans strains, driven in part by exposure to antifungals.

IC can manifest as candidemia or deep-seated (visceral) candidiasis, the latter arising either from hematogenous dissemination or direct inoculation into sterile sites. These two presentations can occur simultaneously or independently.

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