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An ad hoc panel of twenty three international medical experts from the fields of mycology, microbiology and dermatology, led by the International Foundation for Dermatology (IFD) and Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI), have put forward methods for developing essential diagnostic strategies for three major skin Fungal Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). You can find… Read more »

September 23rd to 27th is Fungal Disease Awareness Week, an annual campaign to highlight the vital difference early recognition of serious fungal diseases makes in patient outcomes. Killing over 1.5 million and affecting over a billion people worldwide, fungal diseases have been the most neglected topic by public health authorities. In the UK, it is… Read more »

September 3-5th over 60 fungal disease experts from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela convened in Lima, Peru  to discuss integration of new diagnostic tools that focus on antigen and antibody detection PCR (commercial and standardized) and MALDI-TOF identification… Read more »

Researchers from Manchester (UK) and Jakarta (Indonesia) have published new prevalence data for histoplasmosis exposure for multiple countries in SE Asia. Sensitivity to the histoplasmin skin test was seen in a large proportion of the population (26-86%), so it is likely that rolling out the Histoplasma antigen test (now on the WHO Essential Diagnostics List) will help to diagnose cases and save lives.

The World Health Organisation has updated its Essential Medicines List to the Histoplasma antigen test, which can be used on urine to diagnose histoplasmosis in 48 hours. Rolling out this test worldwide could save up to 48,000 lives in 5 years.

Lateral flow rapid diagnostics are sorely needed for many fungal infections. Scientists at the University of Manchester evaluated LDBio’s Aspergillus IgG test on patients at the National Aspergillosis Centre (UK). Compared to existing diagnostics, this test was more sensitive (91.6%) and more specific (98.0%) for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis.

Swarup Sarkar is an Indian physician, epidemiologist, public health professional and diplomat known for his works in the field of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS in particular. Sarkar served as the Director of Communicable Diseases of the World Health Organization, South East Asia Regional Office (WHO SEARO) and is currently an advisor to international health agencies…. Read more »

The Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI) has made the case for paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) to be listed as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) in a short paper published in Public Library of Science (PLoS) Neglected Tropical Diseases. PCM is endemic to the tropical regions of Latin America. PCM is an important cause of mortality… Read more »

Over 1.1 million cases of fungal keratitis are documented annually, leading to >100,000 perforated or surgically removed eyes and >500,000 blind eyes, according to a team from the University of Manchester, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and GAFFI. Lottie Brown presented this systematic review at Europe’s premier infection meeting ECCMID (Amsterdam) earlier this… Read more »

  From its inception in 2013, GAFFI has focussed on improving the survival chances and impact of chronic illness across the world. GAFFI appointed Professor Patrick Francioli to its Board as part of an internal re-organisation that saw Professor David Denning step down from Board Chairman to Chief Executive of GAFFI and Professor Nigel Lightfoot… Read more »