Country Ambassadors
Professor Valentina Arsic Arsenijevic, Professor of Medical Mycology Head of National Reference Medical Mycology Laboratory (NRMML), Institute of Microbiology and Immunology (IMI), Belgrade Medical University, dr Subotic 1, 11000 Belgrade/Serbia
Email: On request
How you have helped GAFFI so far? We are improving the study of medical mycology to an integrated viewpoint based on an interdisciplinary network between clinicians, medical mycologists, pathologists, radiologists and epidemiologists. We have estimated the Serbian national burden of fungal infections in order to establishing data on the global burden of fungal diseases worldwide by providing data for Serbia. These have been presented as a poster at TIMM-7.The manuscript will be published in Mycoses. We published some data related to Fungal infections in Serbia.We promote GAFFI in student lectures and conferences and we are sending the GAFFI message across the Balkan Peninsula.
Personal comment on the major needs in Serbia which GAFFI should be addressing: In Serbia fungal infections are neglected. Most important life-threatening infections are caused by Candida, Aspergillus and non-Aspergillus molds in immunosuppressed patients; with superficial infections caused with Candida and dermatophytes. However, exact data are not available or are limited. We need specific surveillance programs, educational courses and new diagnostic tools or tests for commercial use and availability of all antifungal drugs. So, specifically we require financial support to run laboratory services, educational courses and research studies focused on personalized diagnostic and treatment approach in medical mycology.
Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Serbia: NRMML, IMI, Belgrade Medical University, dr Subotic 1, 11000 Belgrade/Serbia; Serbian Society of Medical Mycology (SSMM).
SSMM organize national scientific meetings and educational courses. Upcoming soon is 4th Symposium on Diagnosis and Therapy of Fungal Diseases (4th DTFD). Also, the International meeting Trends in Medical Mycology 8th will be locally organized by SSMM (6-9. Oct 2017, Belgrade, Serbia). The vision of SSMM is to apply successfully knowledge and skills and improve the health of people in Serbia by decreasing morbidity and mortality due to FI, maintaining a leading position in the field of medical mycology in region. The mission of SSMM is to combine the experience and knowledge in the field of medical mycology in order to provide timely and accurate mycological analysis, expertise and treatment for our patients.