New treatment in sight for fungal infections

Thousands of patients suffering from invasive fungal infections in intensive-care units or after organ transplantation will benefit from the latest insights into diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

Published in the prestigious journal, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, fungal infections invading the bloodstream, lungs or other organs can cause prolonged illness and in extreme cases can lead to permanent disability or even death.

Senior author, Professor Tania Sorrell from the Westmead Institute for Medical Research and the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bio-security, said that invasive fungal infections can have serious consequences for patients and their families.

“These new insights into diagnosing and treating invasive fungal infections are significant because early and correct treatment clearly leads to better outcomes for the patient,” said Professor Sorrell “These infections are uncommon but potentially lifethreatening. Blood infections such as candidaemia and lung infections such as aspergillosis have high mortality rates of up to 85% in critically ill and immune-compromised patients.”

He added that invasive fungal infections, overall, are a major problem in both developed and developing nations, killing more than 1.5 million people annually. The cost to the global healthcare system runs into billions of dollars each year.

He also explained that It will allow clinicians to tailor their approach to managing these infections in different countries or when working with specific at-risk populations.