Gaps in basic data on disease prevalence hinders accurate burden estimates for most fungal diseases: there is a 15-fold difference between the official asthma prevalence in Kazakhstan and the likely true minimal estimate; almost no epidemiological data on fungal diseases in Jordan; no direct records of fungal keratitis from many countries; and no data on… Read more »
Prompt initiation of antifungal therapy can make the difference between life and death for patients with invasive aspergillosis. Point-of-care diagnostics (POC; a.k.a. ‘bedside testing’) allows clinicians to begin treatment right away while awaiting confirmation by culture and histological examination. Two companies have released affordable and simple to use POC tests for invasive aspergillosis. Both tests… Read more »
Following its Advisory meeting in April 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued its first listing of Essential Diagnostics. The list is split into general laboratory tests (n= 58) and specific tests for key infections (HIV, TB, hepatitis, syphilis and human papilloma virus) (n=55). It is also split into sections relating to testing in… Read more »
GAFFI released its 2017 annual report at the European Conference of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) following its Board meeting. GAFFI’s Guatemala program takes centre stage showing the immediate diagnostic benefits of rapid screening of ill patients with HIV infection for AIDS for cryptococcal diseases, histoplasmosis and tuberculosis. Other highlights from 2017 include inclusion… Read more »
In Kampala today, experts from 27 countries have developed consensus on which diagnostic tests should be deemed ‘Essential’ by the World Health Organization. The WHO has had a listing of essential medicines for decades and has just launched a process for approving key tests for improved health and public health. This is the first time… Read more »
Uganda 22nd March 2018: The 3rd UK East Africa Health Improvement and Investment Summit took place on the 22nd – 23rd of March in Kampala, Uganda. Over 400 delegates from around the world heard Uganda Minister Sarah Opendi, British High Commissioner Sir Peter West and Lord Nigel Crisp, Chairman of the UK all-Party Committee on… Read more »
In a happy coincidence March 15th marks 2 major steps forward in treating fungal meningitis in AIDS. The World Health Organization has accepted the pre-qualification of flucytosine application from Mylan. This means greatly accelerated approval of this life-saving drug in at least 32 countries, in a very short time frame. Dr Sile Molloy (St, George’s… Read more »
GAFFI’s program to reduce deaths from fungal diseases with HIV in Guatemala in 2017 shows that at least 55% of serious infections in AIDS are fungal, dwarfing tuberculosis. Over 2,000 HIV patients were tested from across the country and 371 (16%) had a life-threatening infection that is always fatal without therapy. The diagnostic and training… Read more »
Aspergillosis, lung and sinus disease caused by the fungus Aspergillus, affects around 15 million people and kills over 1 million each year. Announced today at the 8th biennial Advances against Aspergillosis international conference in Lisbon starting on February 1st, are the 5 aspirational targets for aspergillosis to be achieved by 2030: Survival in invasive aspergillosis… Read more »
Dr Rita Oladele, GAFFI’s Ambassador in Nigeria has highlighted a worrying lack of diagnosis and reporting of histoplasmosis in African countries. Despite being an AIDS-defining infection, much basic information about histoplasmosis is lacking, including accurate incidence/prevalence rates, morbidity/mortality rates, and outcomes. This is due to haphazard reporting in regions with more basic laboratory and imaging… Read more »
