More Than 5.7 Crore Indians Affected By Fungal Diseases, 10% With Deadly Mould Infections: Study

A survey of over 400 published research studies concludes that approximately 5.7 crore Indians are diagnosed with severe fungal illnesses, 10 per cent of which are potentially fatal mould infections. Some 4.4 per cent of the Indian population, or 57,250,826 people (5.7 crores), are likely to be at risk, say researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)in New Delhi, AIIMS Kalyani in West Bengal, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, and The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Types Of Fungal Diseases

In India, fungal illness is common; however, there's still some obscurity about how often it appears and how common it is. This is the first study to determine the frequency or impact of different fungal diseases in the country, reports The Economic Times.

Around 2.4 crore women of reproductive age experienced vaginal thrush, often known as a yeast infection of the vagina, according to the review published in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases. A similar percentage of school-aged children were afflicted by tinea capitis, a hair fungal illness. According to the study, it causes many people a painful, inflamed scalp and hair loss.

As per the study, mould infections in the lungs and sinuses, affecting over 250,000 (2.5 lakhs) people, were significant causes of mortality. Thirty-five lakh persons had severe allergic lung mould illness, and another 17 lakh people had chronic aspergillosis, an infection of the respiratory system brought on by a particular form of mould.

Approximately two lakh persons had mucormycosis, also known as "Black mould". It is estimated that over 10 lakh people have a possibly blinding fungal eye illness.

Burden Is Huge But Underappreciated

According to the lead author of the paper, Animesh Ray who currently works with the Department of Medicine at AIIMS Delhi, the burden attributable to fungal illnesses is huge yet underappreciated. While less than three million Indians contract tuberculosis yearly, Ray said that the figure is several times greater for fungal diseases.

In India, the annual incidence of tuberculosis is approximately ten times higher than the entire burden of serious fungal infections, indicating a sizable patient population with fungal disease.

According to Professor David Denning of The University from Manchester and Global Action For Fungal Disease, there have been significant advancements in diagnostic technology in recent years. Denning also added that India's public health systems can now compete with private institutions.

The fungal disease remains a hazard to public health and a source of severe morbidity and mortality, imposing a significant socioeconomic strain on people, he said. He added that failure to estimate several critical illnesses like histoplasmosis and fungal asthma among children indicates that several regions of India continue to have insufficient diagnostic capabilities.

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