Country Ambassadors – Two ambassadors: Manuel Cuence-Estrella & Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo
Professor Manuel Cuenca-Estrella, Head of the Spanish National Center for Microbiology.
Ambassador 1 : Professor Manuel Cuence-Estrella, Head of the Spanish National Center for Microbiology. Madrid, Spain. email
View the Fungal burden of disease in Spain: Rodriguez Tudela, Clin Microbiol Infect 2015
Personal comment on the major needs in Spain which GAFFI should be addressing:
Assessing the frequency of some fungal diseases such as chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and keratitis, without data so far Periodical population-based surveillance of deep mycosis (candidosis, aspergillosis and emerging mycosis) Analyzing the prevalence of fungal diseases (cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, pneumocystosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, subcutaneous diseases…) in immigrant population largely from Africa and South-America Some diagnostic deficiencies such as unavailability of appropriate tests in some centers Lack of trained personnel to undertake diagnostic tests Lack of harmonization and standardization/validation of some diagnostic tools Lack of trained personnel to prescribe the most adequate treatments Low prioritization of fungal infection by many healthcare organizations
Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Spain: Asociación Española de Micología: www.aemicol.org Grupo de Estudio de Micología Médica de la Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica: www.seimc.org; Revista Iberoamericana de Micología: www.reviberoammicol.com
Dr Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo, Research Scientist, National Centre for Microbiology, Madrid
Ambassador 2 : Dr Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo, Research Scientist, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. email
View the Fungal burden of disease in Spain Rodriguez Tudela, Clin Microbiol Infect 2015
How you have helped GAFFI I have helped in the estimation of the national burden of disease. I helped in the documentation presented to the WHO to include itraconazole in the List of Essential Medicines. I have written fungal descriptions for LIFE webpage. I have promoted GAFFI in my country through the National societies (AEM, SEM and SEIMC), social networks and media and internationally through the Young-ISHAM community. In addition I am part of the GAFFI team working in the Guatemala demonstration project.
Personal comment on the major needs in Spain which GAFFI should be addressing:
Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Spain: Ministerio de Sanidad (Ministry of Health) www.msssi.gob.es