Morocco

 LMIMOUNI Badre Eddine, Head of department Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Military teaching Hospital Mohammed the fifth, Rabat; Professor of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohamed the fifth, Rabat; Member of French Academy of Pharmacy; President of the Moroccan Society for Medical Mycology; Associated Editor Journal of Medical Mycology (Elsevier). Email: On request

 How you have helped GAFFI so far? We have estimated the burden of serious fungal infections in Morocco which was presented at the TIMM (Trends In Medical Mycology) in Nice (France) in 2019. This work was also published in the Journal of Fungi. LMIMOUNI B, HENNEQUIN Christophe, PENNEY Richard OS, DENNING David W. Estimated incidence and prevalence of serious fungal infections in Morocco. Journal of fungi, 2022, 8, 414: 10 p.

Personal comment on the major needs in Morocco which GAFFI should be addressing: In Morocco, Invasive Fungal Infections are underdiagnosed due to lack of advanced diagnosis tools. The data are also limited. To solve these problems, we need:

• New diagnostic tests such as β 1-3 D Glucane.

• Make the cost of diagnostic tools (Galactomannane antigen, Maldi-Tof, and molecular tools) accessible.

• Training young mycologists on early and accurate diagnosis of invasive fungal infections.

• Increase the availability of new antifungal drugs for treatment and management and susceptibility tests.

• Cooperate with Mycology Reference centers and support the epidemiological studies on fungal diseases to design appropriate programs for treatment and prevention.

• To implement specific surveillance program on fungal resistance

• To work on standardization of diagnostic tools

Beside Invasive Fungal Infections, Chronic and immuno-allergic pulmonary diseases represent a serious impact on human health that are more neglected. Prospective surveys are required to accurately determine their epidemiology and improve the management of these disorders.