16th PGI-ICMR-WHO National Workshop on Fungal Infections

By 121 News Reporter
Chandigarh 18th December:- Fungal infections kill at least 1,350,000
people with or following AIDS, cancer, TB and asthma as well as
causing untold misery and blindness to 300 millions more worldwide
every year. They are a particular problem in India with 10's of
millions affected. Recently it is estimated that invasive candidiasis
rate in India is nearly 20 times more than the western world. We are
the capital of mucormycosis, as the rate is 70 times to western world.
To counter such enormous challenge in India, Reference Center at
PGIMER, Chandigarh runs to two national training courses every year.
The 16thPGI-ICMR-WHO National Training Course conducted by Division of
Mycology under the 'Centre for Advanced Research in Medical Mycology'
has started today (18.12.2013) in the Department of Medical
Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh. It would continue for four days. The
theme of the present Training Course is 'Challenges in diagnosis of
fungal infections'. Technical staff from Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand,
Haryana have come to participate in this workshop. Prof. Arunaloke
Chakrabarti, Head, Department of Medical Microbiology and Chief
Resource Person of the training course welcomed the delegates of the
workshop today. He highlighted the achievements of Mycology Division–
conducting regular training course, research in epidemiology and
diagnosis of fungal infections. He mentioned the need of the course,
course curriculum. Running the courses over 8 years, PGI has helped in
development of 84 diagnostic mycology laboratories across India. He
thanked both Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and World
Health Organization (WHO) for supporting the capacity building
activities in the field of medical mycology. He gave an overview of
fungal diseases of this country and explained the diagnostic
techniques involved in fungal disease. Prof. B M Hemashettar of
Belgaum highlighted the challenges in superficial and subcutaneous
fungal infections. In recent years rate of Malassezia infections has
gone up. Dandruff is caused by fungi. So every shampoo contains
antifungal compounds though the dose is not standardized. Dr. MR
Shivaprakash, Additional Professor of PGI explained the method of
collection of samples and their processing. Other staff of mycology
division worked as facilitators in the practical training of the
delegates on 'basic techniques in clinical mycology laboratory',
'techniques for identification of mycelial or unknown fungi'.