Monday marked the start of the CDC's inaugural Fungal Disease Awareness Week.
Here are three things to know about the event and fungal disease.
1. Fungal diseases are often misdiagnosed as their symptoms sometimes resemble other conditions. For example, Valley fever — an inhaled fungal infection that incites cough, fever and a distinctive rash on the upper body or legs — is often misdiagnosed as bacterial pneumonia. While an estimated 150,000 cases of Valley fever occur every year, only 10,000 cases are diagnosed.
2. The CDC hosts the annual event to promote awareness of fungal disease and encourage providers to consider fungal disease when making a diagnosis.
"The week is an opportunity for partners to get people with infections to 'think fungus' if their symptoms are not getting better with treatment and to talk to their doctor about the possibility of a fungal infection," said the CDC. "Doctors are encouraged to 'think Fungus' if patients have symptoms that are not improving with treatment, particularly patients with weakened immune systems."
3. About 46,000 healthcare-associated invasive fungal infections occur in the U.S. annually. Growing drug resistance is also making certain fungal strains more difficult to treat.
To learn more about the event, click here.
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