Introduction
Fungal Infections are neglected diseases worldwide. Globally, over 300 million people of all ages suffer from a serious fungal infection every year. Of these over 1.35 million people are estimated to die. In comparison deaths from malaria and tuberculosis are 1.2 and 1.4 million respectively.
Most serious fungal infections are ‘hidden’ because of other health problems such as, AIDS, cancer, transplantation, or immunosuppression. How do you feed your children when your blindness stops you from working? Tens of thousands lose their eyesight every year from fungal keratitis. It is rarely diagnosed and treated. Serious fungal infections require specialized testing.
Alongside our Country representatives, GAFFI has estimated the world's burden of fungal disease which was described in a recent plenary lecture at Montreal by GAFFI's President (View). Antifungal drug availability (generics) is a major limitation to improved outcome, linked here on the GAFFI website. Antifungal drug prices and availability across the world varies widely from country to country – view.
GAFFI's Guatemala programme doubles the diagnosis of fatal fungal infections in AIDS (in Spanish, with English subtitles)
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