Key messages for public
Links between:
- 'bad asthma' and 'fungal allergy'
- 'headache' and 'fungal meningitis' (of particular importance in Africa, South America and SE Asia),
- 'hair loss in patches' and 'fungal disease of the scalp' [tinea capitis, especially common in black children]
- 'eye infection' and 'fungi' (an important connection in agricultural workers and contact lens wearers).
Key messages for healthcare professionals
Links between:
- Fungal allergy (sensitisation) in severe asthma is treatable with antifungals
- Consider and test for fungal disease patients with antibiotic resistant infections early
- Rapid diagnostic tests are now available for aspergillosis and cryptococcal meningitis
- Upper lobe cavitation on chest Xray may be aspergillosis not TB and treatable with oral antifungals.
- Ask a specialist early, some fungal infections are complex to diagnose and treat.