As in other low and middle income countries serious fungal infections (SFI) remain neglected in Ghana despite the rising trend globally. Most of these infections are undiagnosed or misdiagnosedleading to no treatment or wrong treatment. Low indices of suspicion among clinicians and gaps in the availability of diagnostics services and antifungal drugs are the identified… Read more »
Antifungal triazole drugs are the mainstay of treatment for fungal diseases in humans and animals, yet their effectiveness is undermined by resistance. Very similar compounds are used on many crops to reduce plant fungal disease and increase yield. Today in Amsterdam, the Global Action Fund for Fungal infections published its letter to the World Health Organisation’s Director… Read more »
For 213 million people, the number affected by serious fungal diseases infections in Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia and Taiwan has been unknown, until today. At the Gulf Conference on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Dubai posters showed the remarkably high numbers afflicted, especially in Africa, an estimated 4%, 7% 9% and 2% respectively…. Read more »
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus) has called for more research into mycetoma, a chronic fungal infection causing severe disfigurement of the hands or feet. Primarily affecting poor outdoor workers (labourers and herdsmen), mycetoma is thought to affect up to 50,000 people worldwide but accurate statistics are not available,… Read more »
Gilead Sciences, a pharmaceutical company with an interest in AIDS, hepatitis C and infectious diseases, have expanded their access initiative for AmBisome (a liposomal preparation of amphotericin B) to include cryptococcal meningitis, where previously it was only for leishmaniasis. Governments and public sector procurers in 116 low- and middle-income countries can now buy the drug… Read more »
The prestigious Donald Mackay Medal has been awarded to Professor Ahmed H. Fahal. The medal is awarded annually, in alternating years by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) and by the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH), during the Annual Meeting which this year was held at the Royal College… Read more »
PARIS – An article published in Le Monde brings to public attention the deadly threat that fungal infections pose to human health, food security and wildlife. It presents burden of disease statistics compiled by GAFFI and includes a quote from Professor David Denning, highlighting their key role in this area. The article emphasises the crucial… Read more »
Both acquired through the lungs, TB from other people, histoplasmosis from disturbed soil are both potentially fatal in advanced HIV disease. Now Antoine Adenis and colleagues from INSERM and Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne, Cayenne have modeled the annual incidence of both infections throughout central and South America. For 2012, 6710 to 15 657 cases of… Read more »
Currently 45% of TB diagnosis is only clinical and not confirmed with tests. Up to 20% of these diagnoses are incorrect. A common missed diagnosis is fungal lung infection. The most common of these is chronic pulmonary aspergillosis or CPA. The treatment of TB and CPA treatment is completely different and untreated CPA has an… Read more »
Around 138 million women are affected by a distressing but treatable fungal infection world-wide, according to a research review by University of Manchester scientists. And the incidence of recurrent thrush, warns lead researcher Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, is set to rise to an estimated 158 million people by 2030. The team from The University of Manchester… Read more »
