Proper diagnosis of fungal infection is essential - Know why?

New Delhi: As per a recent study, improper diagnosis of fungal infections could force doctors to prescribe more of antibiotics.

This over-prescription leads to 1.5 million deaths in a year, says the report.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, according to the World Health Organization.

The study showed that inadequate attention by physicians to fungal infection is the major cause failure of antibacterial treatment.

“If we’re trying to deliver globally on a comprehensive plan to prevent antimicrobial resistance and we’re treating blindly for fungal infections that we don’t know are present with antibiotics, then we may inadvertently be creating greater antibiotic resistance,” said lead author David Perlin, Rutgers University in New Jersey, US.

Fungal infections, often undiagnosed, result in 1.5 million deaths a year, said researchers from the Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI) - a Britain-based organisation to promote global awareness of fungal disease.

(With IANS inputs)