Globally, more than one billion people get a fungal infection each year. There are over 6 million species of fungi, but only a few hundred can infect humans, causing either mild or sometimes life-threatening disease. Common fungal diseases are ringworms, nail infections and vaginal yeast infections. People with immune suppression are prone to severe fungal infections, which can cause fatal pneumonia or septicaemia.
Fungal diseases are often misdiagnosed, which can delay appropriate antifungal treatment and increase antimicrobial resistance, leading to limited treatment options.
Diagnostic technology that Imperial is working on to help combat fungal infection is:
- LAMP-based
- Self-replicating living biosensors for fungal pathogens
- Fungal diagnostics, novel precision diagnostics, immunodiagnostics
Imperial diagnostic researchers working to combat fungal infections:
