TuberculosisFungal infections often undiagnosed

News Health Articles - TuberculosisFungal infections often undiagnosed. People diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) at risk of fungal infection. But this condition is often undiagnosed, so the patient does not get appropriate treatment.

The researchers found more than 1 million people worldwide are diagnosed with TB continue to develop fungal infections. This condition can actually be cured but usually not treated due to undiagnosed.

In a report published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Toronto revealed the presence of similar symptoms to doctors often diagnose and prescribe the wrong medication that caused tens of thousands of deaths that could have been prevented.



Fungal infections are common due to chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). This condition can go undetected for years until severe symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, coughing and bleeding.

In such conditions often treatment is not successful, and about 50 percent of all patients who develop this complication could not have survived for more than 5 years.

Currently the World Health Organization (WHO) and other relevant agencies are providing awareness training for medical personnel, especially in Africa, India and China which CPAs undiagnosed cases are more common than western countries.

"Early Identification of CPAs in patients is only possible by using microbiological tests for Aspergillus antibodies," said Professor David Denning of the Director of the National Aspergillosis Centre at the University Hospital of South Manchester, as quoted from Health24, Monday (12/05/2011).

Meanwhile, Professor Donald Cole, who is an expert in environmental and public health said that many physicians around the world who may still underestimate the CPA.

"TB is a major scourge in the world and found more than a third of a million people each year develop complications fungus incurable and fatal, but this condition can be diagnosed and treated. So need for action," said Professor Ian Jacobs, director of MAHSC (a partnership between the NHS in Manchester and the University of Manchester).