Nepal

 Asst Professor, Ushana Shrestha Khwakhali, Head, Department of Microbiology, Amrit Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal  Email: On request

 View the Fungal burden of disease in Nepal: Estimating the burden of serious fungal infections in Nepal; understanding the availability and use of antifungal agents for treatment of fungal infections in Nepal. ECCMID_ eposter 2015 burden of disease. Published:Shrestha et al 2015

 Personal comment on the major needs in Nepal which GAFFI should be addressing: Cases of fungal infection are frequent with various clinical conditions in Nepal, especially in rural areas, though few are reported and most undiagnosed. Lack of mycology laboratory and experts, awareness in fungal infections and mortality associated with disease, and lack of health education are major problems in fungal disease diagnosis, treatment and management.

The major need is availability of healthcare facilities in addition to diagnosis of fungal infections in patients including immunocompromised individuals. There is also a requirement of practices of antifungal susceptibility testing of yeasts and moulds for the appropriate treatment of fungal infections. Determination of antifungal resistant strains of fungi from clinical as well as environmental samples will be helpful to understand the emergence and existence of antifungal resistance in the country.

 Introduction of rapid serological and molecular techniques for fungal disease diagnosis in rural and remote areas, establishment of well facilitated mycology diagnostic and reference laboratory with well-trained mycologists and activities for awareness, early diagnosis and management of fungal infections are also essential in Nepal.

 Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Nepal: None