Wednesday, May 8, 2024
5/8/2024
Fungal opportunistic infections in HIV infected patients such as cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis are relevant problems with high morbidity and mortality that need attention and action in our country and region. On the other hand, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, a fungal infection with a broad range of clinical manifestations, overlaps and complicates post-tuberculosis infection. In recent years, another alarm has risen, the resistance of some pathogenic fungi to antifungal drugs. One fungal specie of global concern is Candida auris, a new drug-resistant yeast that can persist in the environment for months and cause outbreaks in the healthcare settings, needing a rapid response to achieve its control. Increase awareness and knowledge in healthcare workers is a first step that can complement other strategies such as early and accurate diagnosis. Thus, it is relevant to improve awareness of this almost neglected problem in Peru, stressing the importance of early clinical suspicion and referral for proper diagnosis and treatment. Our project Improving National Knowledge and Awareness of fungal infections in Peru (INKA) proposes to improve the clinical suspicion, early diagnosis, timely treatment of patients, and potential detection of outbreaks of fungal infections through training of key healthcare workers and implementing specific diagnostic tools. INKA is led by a team of experienced researchers from the Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt (IMTAvH) at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. IMTAvH is a prestigious training and research center in Peru, with extensive experience in grant management and a broad network of national and international collaborators. It delivers the Master program in Control of Infectious and Tropical Disease (MCEIT), as well as the international renowned Gorgas Course in Tropical Medicine (in collaboration with University of Alabama). The aim of this project is to improve human capacity building, knowledge, awareness and proper diagnosis of fungal infections in Peru. During the first year, the project outcomes are: 1. To strength the ability to identify and characterize fungal pathogenic species of Cryptococcus and Histoplasma capsulatum, through a training program aimed at national laboratory personnel of tertiary hospitals in Peru. The training will be virtual and on-site at IMTAvH Mycology Laboratory. We will also implement antigen diagnosis tests in pilot centers to improve the capacity of early recognition and timely treatment. 2. To increase the awareness and knowledge of clinicians on the epidemiology, diagnosis, management prevention and control of fungal infections, with a focus on cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis in HIV infected patients. This will be achieved by a nation-wide on-line training program aimed at healthcare workers (nurses, general practitioners and infectious diseases specialists) 3. To increase public awareness and knowledge of fungal diseases in vulnerable groups at risk of opportunistic fungal infections such as HIV infected patients, immigrants and people from jungle rural areas of Peru. The educational program will aim at recognizing timely alarm signs to ask for proper medical attention and to put in practice prevention measures. INKA is an institutional initiative that aims to impact public health by reducing fungal diseases and effectively responding to threats, in collaboration with country public health leaderships such as the Peruvian National Institute of Health (INS) and the Peruvian CDC, as outlined in their letters of support. Our goal in the near future is to improve fungal diagnostic capabilities in a network of references laboratories in the country and to expand these efforts to the Andean region in South America.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
