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The paper examines contemporary issues with cognitive radio networks as it relates to spectrum scarcity and the demand of users. With recent advancement in technology and increase in the need for wireless communication systems, this has given rise to search for desirable spectrum bands for transmission. Cognitive Radios renders an answer to the trouble by sensing the idle (licensed) bands and allowing (secondary) users to broadcast and transmit in these idle spaces. Spectrum sensing forms the main block of cognition cycle. However research has shown by previous researchers that radio spectrums are being under-utilized in most cases. This paper attempts to profound a solution to efficient and effective spectrum utilization has identified the current challenges and issues faced by spectrum sensing for cognitive networks. The principal issues with cognitive radios are that it should not interfere with the primary users and should vacate the band when it is required. For this sole reason, energy detector system model was used in this paper and performance evaluation was calculated. The performance evaluation is done for cooperative spectrum sensing schemes under non fading environment This paper provides a clear understanding of cognitive radio technology, and its role in national development. Then several challenges and security issues are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: A typical presentation of Mycetoma is not uncommon although clinical manifestations might be misleading leading to delay in diagnosis, treatment and consequently leading to poor prognosis. Mycetoma can have a fungal or bacterial etiology and manifestation is usually that of a disfiguring subcutaneous infection that can affect any part of the exposed body. We are reporting a case of Mycetoma in an eleven years old girl that occurred in parts of the lower abdomen, perineum and gluteal region that was initially thought to be a soft tissue sarcoma or disseminated tuberculosis. CASE PRESENTATION: An eleven years old girl presented to Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto with lower abdominal mass and multiple nodular masses with discharging sinuses on the upper part of the right thigh, perineum and gluteal region of six months duration. Swellings started as multiple small boils that subsequently started discharging from various points. Patient usually fetches firewood in the forest for her parents as her routine house chores and she remembered an incident where she had pricks from thorns in the bush around her lower thigh and perineum. On examination she was chronically ill looking, in painful distress, with bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy. She had nodular lesions of varying sizes ranging from 1x1cm to 4x4cm, tender, involving the upper part of the thigh bilaterally, but more on the right, lower abdomen, labia and gluteal region. Some of the lesions had hyper-pigmented sinuses discharging mucopurulent fluid, with areas of soft tissue swelling around the lower abdomen and upper right thigh extending to the leg. Patient was observed to walk with a limp gait. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: An initial diagnosis of soft tissue infection to rule out soft tissue sarcoma and disseminated tuberculosis (abdomen and lymph nodes) and deep tissue mycosis was made. However, with further investigations and reviews by the medical microbiologist and anatomic pathologist, along with bacteriologic, and mycologic studies of swab samples and aspirate and tissue biopsy for Histology revealed an eumycotic mycetoma. She received Ketoconazole and Trimetoprim-sulphametoxazole. She responded significantly as lesions reduced in sizes, abdominal swelling and leg swelling reduced with closure of discharging sinuses. Patient could walk with some resolution of the limp. Repeat abdominal ultrasound scan showed resolution of initial findings. She spent four weeks in the hospital and was discharged. On subsequent follow-up; she was walking without any limp and lesions were healed with some scar and few areas left to dry up. Further follow-up visits after one month and three month showed progressive healing and complete resolution of lesion respectively. However. Patient was however lost to further follow-up which would have enabled monitoring as to any reoccurrence or not. CONCLUSION: We presented a case of a young girl with an abnormal presentation of eumycotic mycetoma. Patient achieved near cure on medications without the need of surgery due to an excellent multidisciplinary approach between pediatricians, clinicians, clinical microbiologists and anatomic pathologists.

This case report describes a 37-year-old soldier with a 15-year history of of cough, mild haemoptysis, occasional chest pain, extreme fatigue, and weight loss. He had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis in 1999, 2000, and 2005 following the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in his sputum sample in 1999. In 2014, following clinical examination and a Cepheid Xpert® MTB/RIF assay that was negative for M. tuberculosis, a diagnosis of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis was considered with plans to commence itraconazole antifungal therapy. The patterns and progression of CPA are described, as are the various diagnostic techniques that may guide treatment options. The report concludes that there is a need for greater education of clinicians and medical students so that pulmonary fungal diseases are considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic cough, haemoptysis, fever, and weight loss. Low-cost rapid and precise diagnostic tests are also required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: NPG receives research grants, paid to his institution, from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and the UK Medical Research Council; is on a data safety monitoring board for the ACACIA trial; and is a council member of the Federation of Infectious Diseases Societies of Southern Africa. DBM receives research funding from the US National Institutes of Health and UK Medical Research Council. RR receives a grant from the US National Institutes of Health (R01AI162181). AL has received grants, paid to their institution, from the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and the US National Institutes of Health; receives consultancy fees, paid to their institution, from Unitaid; and is the Chair and Lead of the End AIDS Action Group. All other authors declare no competing interests. We thank the Fight AIDS Coalition. This work is dedicated to people living with HIV across the world, who should not experience advanced HIV disease or preventable and unacceptable AIDS-related deaths. OS, RO, TG, and RR are joint first authors.

Cryptococcosis is a major worldwide disseminated invasive fungal infection. Cryptococcosis, particularly in its most lethal manifestation of cryptococcal meningitis, accounts for substantial mortality and morbidity. The breadth of the clinical cryptococcosis syndromes, the different patient types at-risk and affected, and the vastly disparate resource settings where clinicians practice pose a complex array of challenges. Expert contributors from diverse regions of the world have collated data, reviewed the evidence, and provided insightful guideline recommendations for health practitioners across the globe. This guideline offers updated practical guidance and implementable recommendations on the clinical approaches, screening, diagnosis, management, and follow-up care of a patient with cryptococcosis and serves as a comprehensive synthesis of current evidence on cryptococcosis. This Review seeks to facilitate optimal clinical decision making on cryptococcosis and addresses the myriad of clinical complications by incorporating data from historical and contemporary clinical trials. This guideline is grounded on a set of core management principles, while acknowledging the practical challenges of antifungal access and resource limitations faced by many clinicians and patients. More than 70 societies internationally have endorsed the content, structure, evidence, recommendation, and pragmatic wisdom of this global cryptococcosis guideline to inform clinicians about the past, present, and future of care for a patient with cryptococcosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests AA reports grants from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche; serving as a consultant to Gilead Sciences; receiving speaking honoraria from Gilead Sciences and PR Edition; travel support from Gilead sciences and Pfizer; and patents with the Institut Pasteur. J-WA reports grants or contracts from WHO (fungal priority pathogens list) and receipt of equipment and materials from the Westmead Hospital Foundation. JB reports support from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and receipt of honoraria from Gilead. TAB reports a personal research fellowship from Gilead Sciences; investigator-led research grant from Pfizer; lecture honoraria and participation in advisory boards for Gilead Sciences, Mundipharma, and Pfizer; and participation in the Trial Steering Committee for a phase 2 trial of inhaled opelconazole (Pulmocide). FC reports speaker honoraria from, and being part of, an advisory board for Pfizer and United Medical. CCC reports receipt of an Early Career Fellowship from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation, receipt of a speaker travel support for IDweek 2024, being a principal investigator in an early phase clinical trial unit, and was a recipient of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship (APP 1092160). MC reports grants from Cidara, F2G, Pfizer, and Janssen; receipt of honoraria from Pfizerm MSD and Gilead; and travel support from Pfizer. SCC reports untied educational grants from MSD Australia and F2G and is on the antifungal advisory boards of MSD Australia, Gilead Sciences, and F2G. OAC reports grants or contracts from BMBF, Cidara, EU-DG RTD (101037867), F2G, Gilead, MedPace, MSD, Mundipharma, Octapharma, Pfizer, and Scynexis; consulting fees from AbbVie, AiCuris, Biocon, Cidara, Gilead, IQVIA, Janssen, Matinas, MedPace, Menarini, Moderna, Molecular Partners, MSG-ERC, Noxxon, Octapharma, Pfizer, PSI, Scynexis, and Seres; honoraria for lectures from Abbott, AbbVie, Al-Jazeera Pharmaceuticals, Hikma, Gilead, Grupo Biotoscana/United Medical/Knight, MedScape, MedUpdate, Merck/MSD, Noscendo, Pfizer, Shionogi, and streamedup!; payment for expert testimony from Cidara; participation on a data safety monitoring board or advisory board from Boston Strategic Partners, Cidara, IQVIA, Janssen, MedPace, PSI, Pulmocide, Shionogi, and The Prime Meridian Group; a patent at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DE 10 2021 113 007·7); stocks from CoRe Consulting and EasyRadiology; other interests from Wiley; support from the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education; and funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under Germany's Excellence Strategy (Cologne Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases, EXC 2030—390661388). J-PG reports speaker honoraria from Gilead, MundiPharma, and Pfizer. NPG reports grants from National Institutes of Health (USA), National Institute of Health and Care Research (UK), Medical Research Council (MRC; UK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; USA), and National Health Laboratory Service Research Trust (South Africa); participation in the ACACIA trial as part of the data safety monitoring board, project committee of DREAMM, project advisory committee for 5FC Crypto, and leadership roles in the Federation of Infectious Diseases Societies of Southern Africa. AHG reports grants from Gilead Sciences; personal fees from Amplyx, Astellas, Basilea, F2G, Gilead Sciences, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Mundipharma, Pfizer, and Scynexis; speaker honoraria from Gilead Sciences and MSD; and participation in an advisory board for Astellas, Mundipharma, Partner Therapeutics, and Pfizer. FH reports grants from Health Holland and European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; leadership roles as treasurer of the Netherlands Society for Medical Mycology, Chair of the Division Microbial Genomics of the Royal Netherlands Society for Microbiology, Vice-President International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM); and receipt of evaluation kits from Bruker and Pathonostics. TSH reports receipt of an investigator award from Gilead Sciences, honoraria from Pfizer and Gilead Sciences, and participation in a data safety monitoring board or advisory board for Viamet and F2G. MH reports receipt of an European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. JNJ reports support from the National Institute for Health Research; grants from European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, joint global health trials (Wellcome Trust, MRC, and UK aid) and CDC; speaker fees from Gilead Sciences; participation on a data safety and monitoring board for the HARVEST, ARTIST, CASTLE, and ACACIA trials. GJ reports travel support to attend a meeting at ISHAM. NK was a speaker and advisor for Gilead Sciences, Merck/MSD, and Pfizer and a speaker for Astellas. MSL reports support from the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and National Institutes of Health (NIH). OL reports receipt of consulting fees and honoraria from Gilead Science and patents with INSERM APHP. OMM reports travel support for ISHAM meeting in India and being the country ambassador for Kenya for ISHAM. BJM reports being chair of the Australia and New Zealand Paediatric Infectious Diseases Group. DBM reports leadership role in the Crypto Meningitis advocacy group. RO reports receiving research and educational grant funding from Gilead Sciences, CDC Atlanta, and Pfizer Specialties and travel support from the CDC foundation. PGP reports grants from Mayne, Astellas, Scynexis, and Cidara and receipt of consulting fees from F2G and Cidara. AKP reports speaker honoraria for Gilead Science, Pfizer India, and Intas pharmaceutical. JRP reports grants from NIH, Appili, and Sfunga; royalties from Up-To-Date; and participation on a data safety monitoring board or advisory board from Pulmocide, EFFECT trial, and IMPRINT trial. FQ-TF reports receipt of speaker honoraria from Pfizer and United Medical, travel support and laboratory diagnostic kits from IMMY, and leadership roles in Infocus Latin America. JS-G reports speaker honoraria from Gilead and Pfizer and is on an advisory committee for Pfizer. AS reports grants from Astellas and receiving consulting fees from Scynexis. RSp has received speaker honoraria from Pfizer and reports being chair of Young European Confederation of Medical Mycology. TT reports receipt of honoraria from Pfizer, MSD, Asahikasei pharma, and Sumitomo pharma. AW reports a grant from UK Research and Innovation; receipt of consultant fees from Gilead and MundiPharma; speaker fees from F2G and Gilead; and participation as a data safety monitoring board member for the RECOVERY trial. All declarations are outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common but life-threatening condition, and diagnosis can be challenging. Diagnosis is even more difficult in those patients with atypical presentations such as the absence of pleuritic chest pain, dyspnoea, tachycardia, or symptoms of deep vein thrombosis. We have delineated shoulder and back pain as an atypical sign of PE. However, the significant amount of misdiagnosis highlights the importance of other rare symptoms of this potentially fatal disease. Therefore, eliciting these rare presenting symptoms can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. Here, we report the case of a patient who, 13 days after a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, presented to the emergency department (ED) with left shoulder and left-sided pleuritic back pain. She was managed in the resuscitation area in the ED and was subsequently diagnosed with a left-sided PE. Her care was taken over by the medical team, and she continued her recovery in the acute medical unit., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Nwaneri et al.)

Histoplasmosis, a significant mycosis primarily prevalent in Africa, North and South America, with emerging reports globally, poses notable health challenges, particularly in immunocompromised individuals such as people living with HIV/AIDS and organ transplant recipients. This systematic review, aimed at informing the World Health Organization's Fungal Priority Pathogens List, critically examines literature from 2011 to 2021 using PubMed and Web of Science, focusing on the incidence, mortality, morbidity, antifungal resistance, preventability, and distribution of Histoplasma. We also found a high prevalence (22%-44%) in people living with HIV, with mortality rates ranging from 21% to 53%. Despite limited data, the prevalence of histoplasmosis seems stable, with lower estimates in Europe. Complications such as central nervous system disease, pulmonary issues, and lymphoedema due to granuloma or sclerosis are noted, though their burden remains uncertain. Antifungal susceptibility varies, particularly against fluconazole (MIC: ≥32 mg/l) and caspofungin (MICs: 4-32 mg/l), while resistance to amphotericin B (MIC: 0.125-0.16 mg/l), itraconazole (MICs: 0.004-0.125 mg/l), and voriconazole (MICs: 0.004-0.125 mg/l) remains low. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps, underlining the need for robust, globally representative surveillance systems to better understand and combat this fungal threat., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Recognizing the growing global burden of fungal infections, the World Health Organization established a process to develop a priority list of fungal pathogens (FPPL). In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the epidemiology and impact of infections caused by Fusarium spp., Scedosporium spp., and Lomentospora prolificans to inform the first FPPL. PubMed and Web of Sciences databases were searched to identify studies published between January 1, 2011 and February 23, 2021, reporting on mortality, complications and sequelae, antifungal susceptibility, preventability, annual incidence, and trends. Overall, 20, 11, and 9 articles were included for Fusarium spp., Scedosporium spp., and L. prolificans, respectively. Mortality rates were high in those with invasive fusariosis, scedosporiosis, and lomentosporiosis (42.9%-66.7%, 42.4%-46.9%, and 50.0%-71.4%, respectively). Antifungal susceptibility data, based on small isolate numbers, showed high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC)/minimum effective concentrations for most currently available antifungal agents. The median/mode MIC for itraconazole and isavuconazole were ≥16 mg/l for all three pathogens. Based on limited data, these fungi are emerging. Invasive fusariosis increased from 0.08 cases/100 000 admissions to 0.22 cases/100 000 admissions over the time periods of 2000-2009 and 2010-2015, respectively, and in lung transplant recipients, Scedosporium spp. and L. prolificans were only detected from 2014 onwards. Global surveillance to better delineate antifungal susceptibility, risk factors, sequelae, and outcomes is required., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

This systematic review evaluates the current global impact of invasive infections caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii (principally pneumonia: PJP), and was carried out to inform the World Health Organization Fungal Priority Pathogens List. PubMed and Web of Science were used to find studies reporting mortality, inpatient care, complications/sequelae, antifungal susceptibility/resistance, preventability, annual incidence, global distribution, and emergence in the past 10 years, published from January 2011 to February 2021. Reported mortality is highly variable, depending on the patient population: In studies of persons with HIV, mortality was reported at 5%-30%, while in studies of persons without HIV, mortality ranged from 4% to 76%. Risk factors for disease principally include immunosuppression from HIV, but other types of immunosuppression are increasingly recognised, including solid organ and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, autoimmune and inflammatory disease, and chemotherapy for cancer. Although prophylaxis is available and generally effective, burdensome side effects may lead to discontinuation. After a period of decline associated with improvement in access to HIV treatment, new risk groups of immunosuppressed patients with PJP are increasingly identified, including solid organ transplant patients., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Candida albicans is a common fungal pathogen and amongst the leading causes of invasive candidiasis globally. This systematic review examines the characteristics and global impact of invasive infections caused by C. albicans. We searched on PubMed and Web of Science for studies reporting on criteria such as mortality, morbidity, drug resistance, preventability, yearly incidence, and distribution/emergence during the period from 2016 to 2021. Our findings indicate that C. albicans is the most common Candida species causing invasive disease and that standard infection control measures are the primary means of prevention. However, we found high rates of mortality associated with infections caused by C. albicans. Furthermore, there is a lack of data on complications and sequelae. Resistance to commonly used antifungals remains rare. Although, whilst generally susceptible to azoles, we found some evidence of increasing resistance, particularly in middle-income settings-notably, data from low-income settings were limited. Candida albicans remains susceptible to echinocandins, amphotericin B, and flucytosine. We observed evidence of a decreasing proportion of infections caused by C. albicans relative to other Candida species, although detailed epidemiological studies are needed to confirm this trend. More robust data on attributable mortality, complications, and sequelae are needed to understand the full extent of the impact of invasive C. albicans infections., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

The World Health Organization, in response to the growing burden of fungal disease, established a process to develop a fungal priority pathogens list. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the epidemiology and impact of eumycetoma. PubMed and Web of Science were searched to identify studies published between 1 January 2011 and 19 February 2021. Studies reporting on mortality, inpatient care, complications and sequelae, antifungal susceptibility, risk factors, preventability, annual incidence, global distribution, and emergence during the study time frames were selected. Overall, 14 studies were eligible for inclusion. Morbidity was frequent with moderate to severe impairment of quality of life in 60.3%, amputation in up to 38.5%, and recurrent or long-term disease in 31.8%-73.5% of patients. Potential risk factors included male gender (56.6%-79.6%), younger age (11-30 years; 64%), and farming occupation (62.1%-69.7%). Mycetoma was predominantly reported in Sudan, particularly in central Sudan (37%-76.6% of cases). An annual incidence of 0.1/100 000 persons and 0.32/100  000 persons/decade was reported in the Philippines and Uganda, respectively. In Uganda, a decline in incidence from 3.37 to 0.32/100  000 persons between two consecutive 10-year periods (2000-2009 and 2010-2019) was detected. A community-based, multi-pronged prevention programme was associated with a reduction in amputation rates from 62.8% to 11.9%. With the pre-specified criteria, no studies of antifungal drug susceptibility, mortality, and hospital lengths of stay were identified. Future research should include larger cohort studies, greater drug susceptibility testing, and global surveillance to develop evidence-based treatment guidelines and to determine more accurately the incidence and trends over time., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Objectives: Persons with disabilities (PWD) often experience risks associated with HIV/AIDS including unmet needs and overlooked stigmatization. This could be attributed to certain misconceptions such as PWDs are asexual, and cannot enjoy sexual pleasure, among others. Therefore, this paper sought to investigate the extent of disability inclusion in recent National Strategic Plans (NSPs) for HIV/AIDS in West African countries., Methods: This study was a policy review of NSPs in 13 African countries. Relevant indicators in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UNAIDS International Guidelines on HIV and Human Rights were used. Six indicators (identification of people living with disability (PLWD) as a key population, the inclusion of principles related to PWD within the NSPs on HIV/AIDS, protecting the rights of PWD, recognition of PWD as a vulnerable population at higher risk of HIV and in need of special protection, providing HIV-related support services for PWD and monitoring and evaluating the impact of HIV on PWD)., Results: Findings from this study revealed that only 30% of West African countries recognized disability as an issue of concern. Also, 38.5% of these countries recognize the vulnerability of people with disabilities to HIV. However, only a few (7.6%) provided support in the context of special needs, monitoring, and surveillance specifically for persons with disabilities., Conclusion: Most of the West African NSPs are outdated and due for renewal. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate the needs of persons with disabilities within the context of HIV/AIDS in the NSPs. More importantly, support and services should also be prioritized among the vulnerable groups to optimize inclusion., Competing Interests: The authors report there are no competing interests to declare., (© 2024 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.)

Objectives: To report the in vitro susceptibility of Enterobacterales (n = 3905) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 1,109) isolates, collected from patients in sub-Saharan Africa (four countries) in 2017-2021, to a panel of 10 antimicrobial agents with a focus on ceftazidime-avibactam activity against resistant phenotypes and β-lactamase carriers., Methods: MICs were determined by CLSI broth microdilution and interpreted using both 2022 CLSI and EUCAST breakpoints. β-lactamase genes were identified in select β-lactam-nonsusceptible isolate subsets using multiplex PCR assays., Results: Among Enterobacterales, 96.2% of all isolates were ceftazidime-avibactam-susceptible (MIC 90 , 0.5 µg/mL), including all serine carbapenemase-positive (n = 127), 99.6% of ESBL-positive, carbapenemase-negative (n = 730), 91.9% of multidrug resistant (MDR; n = 1817), and 42.7% of DTR (difficult-to-treat resistance; n = 171) isolates. Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) genes were identified in most (n = 136; 91.2%) ceftazidime-avibactam-resistant isolates (3.5% of all Enterobacterales isolates). Ceftazidime-avibactam percent susceptible values ranged from 99.5% (Klebsiella species other than Klebsiella pneumoniae) to 92.5% (K. pneumoniae) for the various Enterobacterial taxa examined. Greater than 90% of Enterobacterales isolates from each country (Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, South Africa) were ceftazidime-avibactam-susceptible. Among P. aeruginosa, 88.9% of all isolates were ceftazidime-avibactam-susceptible (MIC 90 , 16 µg/mL). Most (88.5%) MBL-negative, meropenem-resistant (n = 78), 68.1% of MDR (n = 385), and 19.2% of DTR isolates (n = 99) were ceftazidime-avibactam-susceptible. MBL genes were identified in 43.1% of ceftazidime-avibactam-resistant isolates (n = 53; 4.8% of all P. aeruginosa isolates). Country-specific ceftazidime-avibactam percent susceptible values for P. aeruginosa ranged from 94.1% (Cameroon) to 76.2% (Nigeria)., Conclusion: Reference in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that most recent Enterobacterales (96%) and P. aeruginosa (89%) clinical isolates from four sub-Saharan African countries were ceftazidime-avibactam susceptible., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The burden of invasive fungal infections associated with opportunistic fungal pathogens is a persistent challenge, particularly among people with advanced HIV disease. In October, 2022, WHO published the Fungal Priority Pathogens List (FPPL)-the first global effort to systematically prioritise fungal pathogens. Of the 19 pathogens in the WHO FPPL, four opportunistic pathogens in particular cause invasive diseases in people living with HIV: Cryptococcus neoformans, Histoplasma spp, Pneumocystis jirovecii, and Talaromyces marneffei. These four fungal pathogens are major causes of illness and death in people with advanced HIV and overwhelmingly affect those in low-income and middle-income countries. Access to diagnostics, improved surveillance, targeted support for innovation, and an enhanced public health focus on these diseases are needed in the effort to reduce HIV-associated deaths., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests NPG has received grants from National Institute for Health Research, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US National Institutes of Health, UK Medical Research Council, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the National Health Laboratory Service Research Trust. AA-I has received honoraria from Pfizer and Gilead for educational lectures; and is the chair of WHO's technical expert group for the development of the final priority pathogen list, chair of the fungal infection study group for the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, president of the Spanish Society for Mycology, director of Latin American Programs for Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections, and a member of the scientific advisory board of the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance. HS has received grants from the Governments of Austria and Germany, the European Union Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Golden Key International Honour Society. JP has received grants from the US National Institutes of Health; and is the president of International Society for Human and Animal Mycology and the past president of the Mycoses Study Group Education & Research Consortium. AC has received personal and institutional payments from ACHE, Eurofarma, Gilead, Mundipharma, Knight-Biotoscana, and Pfizer; and has obtained financial support for travel from Knight-Biotoscana. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 World Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Fungal diseases impose an escalating burden on public health in Africa, exacerbated by issues such as delayed diagnosis, inadequate therapy, and limited access to healthcare resources, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Effectively tackling these challenges demands a comprehensive approach encompassing research, training, and advocacy initiatives. Recent clinical mycology surveys conducted by Global Action for Fungal Infection (GAFFI) and the European Confederation of Medical Mycology/International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ECMM/ISHAM) have underscored gaps in fungal diagnostics and the availability and accessibility of antifungal therapy in Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) Fungal Priority Pathogens List (FPPL) identifies fungi of critical or high importance to human health, providing a roadmap for action and highlighting the urgent need for prioritizing fungal diseases and developing targeted interventions within the African context. To enhance diagnosis and treatment, it is imperative to invest in comprehensive training programs for healthcare workers across all levels and disciplines. Equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills will facilitate early detection, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate management of fungal infections. Moreover, implementation science research in medical mycology assumes a pivotal role in bridging the gap between knowledge and practice. By identifying the barriers and facilitators that influence the adoption of diagnostic techniques and public health interventions, tailored strategies can be formulated to improve their implementation within healthcare settings. Advocacy plays a critical role in raising awareness regarding the profound impact of fungal diseases on public health in Africa. Engaging policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, industry experts and communities underscore the importance of addressing these diseases and galvanize efforts for change. Substantial investment in surveillance, research and development specifically focused on fungal diseases is indispensable for advancing our understanding of local epidemiology, developing effective interventions, and ultimately improving patient outcomes. In conclusion, closing the gaps in diagnosing and treating fungal diseases in Africa demands concerted research and advocacy initiatives to ensure better healthcare delivery, reduced mortality rates, and improved public health outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 SFMM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is well documented that inappropriate use of antimicrobials is the major driver of antimicrobial resistance. To combat this, antibiotic stewardship has been demonstrated to reduce antibiotic usage, decrease the prevalence of resistance, lead to significant economic gains and better patients' outcomes. In Nigeria, antimicrobial guidelines for critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs), with infections are scarce. We set out to develop antimicrobial guidelines for this category of patients., Methods: A committee of 12 experts, consisting of Clinical Microbiologists, Intensivists, Infectious Disease Physicians, Surgeons, and Anesthesiologists, collaborated to develop guidelines for managing infections in critically ill patients in Nigerian ICUs. The guidelines were based on evidence from published data and local prospective antibiograms from three ICUs in Lagos, Nigeria. The committee considered the availability of appropriate antimicrobial drugs in hospital formularies. Proposed recommendations were approved by consensus agreement among committee members., Results: Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common microorganisms isolated from the 3 ICUs, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Escherichia coli. Targeted therapy is recognized as the best approach in patient management. Based on various antibiograms and publications from different hospitals across the country, amikacin is recommended as the most effective empiric antibiotic against Enterobacterales and A. baumannii, while colistin and polymixin B showed high efficacy against all bacteria. Amoxicillin-clavulanate or ceftriaxone was recommended as the first-choice drug for community-acquired (CA) CA-pneumonia while piperacillin-tazobactam + amikacin was recommended as first choice for the treatment of healthcare-associated (HA) HA-pneumonia. For ventilatorassociated pneumonia (VAP), the consensus for the drug of first choice was agreed as meropenem. Amoxycillin-clavulanate +clindamycin was the consensus choice for CAskin and soft tissue infection (SSIS) and piperacillin-tazobactam + metronidazole ±vancomycin for HA-SSIS. Ceftriaxone-tazobactam or piperacillin-tazobactam + gentamicin was consensus for CA-blood stream infections (BSI) with first choice+regimen for HA-BSI being meropenem/piperacillin-tazobactam +amikacin +fluconazole. For community-acquired urinary tract infection (UTI), first choice antibiotic was ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone with a catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) regimen of first choice being meropenem + fluconazole., Conclusion: Data from a multicenter three ICU surveillance and antibiograms and publications from different hospitals in the country was used to produce this evidence-based Nigerian-specific antimicrobial treatment guidelines of critically ill patients in ICUs by a group of experts from different specialties in Nigeria. The implementation of this guideline will facilitate learning, continuous improvement of stewardship activities and provide a baseline for updating of guidelines to reflect evolving antibiotic needs., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists., (Copyright © 2023 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Background: 70% of children with obesity and overweight live in low-income and middle-income countries. Several interventions have been done to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and prevent incident cases. Hence, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effectiveness of these interventions in reducing and preventing childhood obesity., Methods: We conducted a search for randomised controlled trials and quantitative non-randomised studies published on MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases between Jan 1, 2010, and Nov 1, 2022. We included interventional studies on the prevention and control of obesity in children up to age 12 years in low-income and middle-income countries. Quality appraisal was performed using Cochrane's risk-of-bias tools. We did three-level random-effects meta-analyses and explored the heterogeneity of studies included. We excluded critical risk-of-bias studies from primary analyses. We assessed the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation., Findings: The search generated 12 104 studies, of which eight studies were included involving 5734 children. Six studies were based on obesity prevention, most of which targeted behavioural changes with a focus on counselling and diet, and a significant reduction in BMI was observed (standardised mean difference 2·04 [95% CI 1·01-3·08]; p<0·001). In contrast, only two studies focused on the control of childhood obesity; the overall effect of the interventions in these studies was not significant (p=0·38). The combined studies of prevention and control had a significant overall effect, with study-specific estimates ranging between 0·23 and 3·10, albeit with a high statistical heterogeneity (I 2 >75%)., Interpretation: Preventive interventions, such as behavioural change and diet modification, are more effective than control interventions in reducing and preventing childhood obesity., Funding: None., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure of interest: The authors completed the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form (available upon request from the corresponding author) and disclose no relevant interests.

Introduction: Onychomycosis has been documented as an occupational dermatosis and dermatophyte infection of the nail is the most common infection amongst farmers. This study aims to determine the prevalence of fungal nail infections amongst cassava farmers and processors and identify causative organisms., Methods: Consenting individuals engaged in the processing of raw cassava into 'garri' meal in Odogbolu local government area of Ogun State were included. Questionnaires contained demographic details, clinical descriptions, classification, and the presence of fungal infections in other parts of the body. Nail clippings were collected for direct microscopy using 40% Potassium hydroxide solution to break down nail keratin. Specimens were inoculated onto Sabouraud's dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and gentamicin incorporated, and incubated at 26°C and 35°C., Results: Clinical features of onychomycosis were found in 119 (68.4%) participants. Distal subungual onychomycosis (68-57.1%) was the most common clinical type, followed by total dystrophic onychomycosis (49-41.2%), candida onychomycosis (34-28.6%), proximal subungual onychomycosis (14-11.8%) and superficial white onychomycosis (9-7.6%). One hundred and one (84.9%) respondents with clinically described onychomycosis had positive results in mycology studies. The non-dermatophyte molds (Aspergillus and Penicillium spp.) were found in 130 samples (78.8%); dermatophytes in 31 (18.8%) and yeast in 7 (4.2%)., Conclusion: Non-dermatophyte molds, traditionally thought to be contaminants of nail cultures, were the main causative agents of primary fungal nail infections. Garri processors will benefit from public health intervention geared towards automation of some of these processes to minimize contact with soil and water, and health education on the use of protective materials., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists., (Copyright © 2022 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that has become a worldwide public health threat due to the limitations of treatment options, difficulty in diagnosis, and its potential for clonal transmission. Four ICU patients from three different healthcare facilities in Southern Nigeria presented features suggestive of severe sepsis and the blood cultures yielded the growth of Candida spp., which was identified using VITEK 2 as C. auris . Further confirmation was performed using whole genome sequencing (WGS). From the genomic analysis, two had mutations that conferred resistance to the antifungal azole group and other non-synonymous mutations in hotspot genes, such as ERG2, ERG11, and FKS1. From the phylogenetic analysis, cases 2 and 4 had a confirmed mutation ( ERG11: Y132F) that conferred drug resistance to azoles clustered with clade 1, whilst cases 1 and 3 clustered with clade 4. Three of the patients died, and the fourth was most likely a case of colonization since he received no antifungals and was discharged home. These first cases of C. auris reported from Nigeria were most likely introduced from different sources. It is of public health importance as it highlights diagnostic gaps in our setting and the need for active disease surveillance in the region.

Introduction: Access to and the cost of induction treatment for cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is rapidly changing. The newly-announced price for flucytosine ($0.75 per 500 mg pill) and possibly lower prices for liposomal amphotericin B (AmB-L) create opportunities to reduce CM treatment costs compared to the current standard treatment in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: We developed an Excel-based cost model to estimate health system treatment costs for CM over a two-week induction phase for multiple treatment combinations, newly feasible with improved access to flucytosine and AmB-L. CM treatment costs include medications, laboratory tests and other hospital-based costs (bed-day costs and healthcare worker time). We report results from applying the model using country-specific information for South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, and Botswana. Results: A 14-day induction-phase of seven days of inpatient AmB-D with flucytosine, followed by seven days of high-dose fluconazole as an outpatient, will cost health systems less than a 14-day hospital stay with AmB-D and fluconazole. If daily AmB-L replaces AmB-D for those with baseline renal dysfunction, with a cost of $50 or less per 50 mg vial, incremental costs would still be less than the AmB-D with fluconazole regimen. Simple oral combinations (e.g., seven days of flucytosine with fluconazole as an inpatient) are practical when AmB-D is not available, and treatment costs would remain less than the current standard treatment. Conclusions : Improved access to and lower prices for flucytosine and AmB-L create opportunities for improving CM treatment regimens. An induction regimen of flucytosine and AmB-D for seven days is less costly than standard care in the settings studied here. As this regimen has also been shown to be more effective than current standard care, countries should prioritize scaling up flucytosine access. The cost of AmB-L based regimens is highly dependent on the price of AmB-L, which currently remains unclear., Competing Interests: Competing interests: AS receives fees from the CDC foundation (Project 950) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi). All other authors declared no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2022 Larson B et al.)

Melioidosis is a tropical infectious disease caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei with a mortality of up to 50% in low resource settings. Only a few cases have been reported from African countries. However, studies on the global burden of melioidosis showed that Africa holds a significant unrecognized disease burden, with Nigeria being at the top of the list. The first World Health Organization African Melioidosis Workshop was organized in Lagos, Nigeria, with representatives of health authorities, microbiology laboratories, and clinical centers from across the continent. Dedicated hands-on training was given on laboratory diagnostics of B. pseudomallei. This report summarises the meeting objectives, including raising awareness of melioidosis and building capacity for the detection, diagnosis, biosafety, treatment, and prevention across Africa. Further, collaboration with regional and international experts provided a platform for sharing ideas on best practices.

Background: Brain abscess in children is a neurosurgical emergency with potentially catastrophic outcome despite the advances made in neuroimaging techniques and antibiotic therapy. Symptoms are nonspecific and may vary with the child's age, location, size, numbers and stage of abscess, and the primary source of infection. Treatment is usually with broad-spectrum antibiotics in combination and surgical evacuation in most cases or antibiotics alone in selected cases with clear-cut indications. This study was to document clinical characteristics, etiological factors, and spectrum of bacteriologic agents responsible for pediatric brain abscess in an African city, the challenges and management outcome over the study period., Methods: This was a retrospective study over an 11-year period involving 89 children who presented with brain abscess. Information of interest was extracted from the medical records of each participant. The results from data analysis were presented in charts and tables., Results: Eighty-nine children aged 0.85-15.7 years (median age of 6.4 years) met the inclusion criteria. The male-to-female ratio was 1.8:1. Headache (80%), fever (78%), and hemiparesis (78%) were the most common symptoms. Brain imaging deployed was CT scan in 56 (63%), MRI in 9 (10%), and transfontanel ultrasound scan in 24 (27%) children. Seventy-one (80%) children had antibiotics with surgical evacuation while 18 (20%) children received only antibiotics. In 19 (27%) children, the culture of the abscess was negative. In 53 (75%) children, Gram-positive aerobic organisms were isolated. A total of 75 patients (84%) had a favorable outcome., Conclusion: Pediatric brain abscess still poses significant public health challenge, especially in resource-limited regions. Successful management of brain abscess requires high index of suspicion for early diagnosis, referral, and intervention., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Surgical Neurology International.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a guideline for the management of individuals with advanced HIV disease (AHD) to reduce HIV-related deaths. The guideline consists of a package of recommendations including interventions to prevent, diagnose and treat common opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis (TB), cryptococcosis and severe bacterial infections, along with rapid initiation of antiretroviral treatment and enhanced adherence support. Currently no clear targets exist for these key interventions. Emerging programmatic data from Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria suggest that an estimated 80% of eligible people continue to miss the recommended cryptococcal or TB testing, highlighting the remaining challenges to the effective implementation of WHO-recommended AHD packages of care in real-world resource-limited settings. The absence of mortality indicators for the leading causes of HIV-related deaths, because of the lack of mechanisms to ascertain cause of death, has had a negative impact on establishing interventions to reduce mortality. We suggest that setting 95-95-95 targets for CD4 testing, cryptococcal antigen and TB testing, and treatment that are aligned to the WHO AHD package of care would be a step in the right direction to achieving the greater goal of the WHO End TB strategy and the proposed new strategy to end cryptococcal meningitis deaths. However, these targets will only be achieved if there is healthcare worker training, expanded access to bedside point-of-care diagnostics for hospitalised patients and those in outpatient care who meet the criteria for AHD, and health systems strengthening to minimise delays in initiating the WHO-recommended therapies for TB and cryptococcal disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article., (© 2021. The Authors.)

Introduction: Access to and the cost of induction treatment for cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is rapidly changing. The newly-announced price for flucytosine ($0.75 per 500 mg pill) and possibly lower prices for liposomal amphotericin B (AmB-L) create opportunities to reduce CM treatment costs compared to the current standard treatment in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: We developed an Excel-based cost model to estimate health system treatment costs for CM over a two-week induction phase for multiple treatment combinations, newly feasible with improved access to flucytosine and AmB-L. CM treatment costs include medications, laboratory tests and other hospital-based costs (bed-day costs and healthcare worker time). We report results from applying the model using country-specific information for South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, and Botswana. Results: A 14-day induction-phase of seven days of inpatient AmB-D with flucytosine, followed by seven days of high-dose fluconazole as an outpatient, will cost health systems less than a 14-day hospital stay with AmB-D and fluconazole. If daily AmB-L replaces AmB-D for those with baseline renal dysfunction, with a cost of $50 or less per 50 mg vial, incremental costs would still be less than the AmB-D with fluconazole regimen. Simple oral combinations (e.g., seven days of flucytosine with fluconazole as an inpatient) are practical when AmB-D is not available, and treatment costs would remain less than the current standard treatment. Conclusions : Improved access to, and lower prices for flucytosine and AmB-L create opportunities for improving CM treatment regimens. An induction regimen of flucytosine and AmB-D for seven days is less costly than standard care in the settings studied here. As this regimen has also been shown to be more effective than current standard care, countries should prioritize scaling up flucytosine access. The cost of AmB-L based regimens is highly dependent on the price of AmB-L, which currently remains unclear., Competing Interests: Competing interests: AS receives fees from the CDC foundation (Project 950) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi). All other authors declared no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2021 Larson B et al.)

Introduction: Nigeria has a large estimated burden of AIDS-related mycoses. We aimed to determine the proportion of patients with AIDS-related opportunistic fungal infections (OFIs) at an urban antiretroviral treatment (ART) centre in Nigeria., Methods: A retrospective analysis of a cohort of ART-naïve, HIV-infected patients, assessed for ART eligibility and ARTexperience at the PEPFAR outpatient clinic at Lagos University Teaching Hospital over a 12-year period (April 2004-February 2016) was conducted., Results: During this period, 7,034 patients visited the clinic: 4,797 (68.2%) were female; 6161 patients had a recorded baseline CD4 count, and the median CD4 count was 184 cells/µl (IQR, 84-328). A baseline HIV-1 viral load (VL) was recorded for 5,908 patients; the median VL was 51,194 RNA copies/ml (IQR, 2,316-283,508) and 6,179/7046(88%) had initiated ART. Some 2,456 (34.9%) had a documented opportunistic infections, of whom 1,306 (18.6%) had an opportunistic fungal infection. The total number of OFI episodes was 1,632: oral candidiasis (n=1,473, 90.3%), oesophageal candidiasis (n=118; 8%), superficial mycoses (n=23; 1.6%), Pneumocystis pneumonia (PJP) (n=13; 0.8%), and cryptococcal meningitis(CM) (n=5; 0.4%). 113 (1.6%) were known to have died in the cohort., Conclusion: Approximately 1 in 5 HIV-infected patients in this retrospective cohort, most of whom had initiated ART, were clinically diagnosed with an OFI. Improved access to simple accurate diagnostic tests for CM and PJP should be prioritised for this setting., (© 2020 Oladele R et al.)

Pneumocystis jirovecii can cause life-threatening pneumonia in immunocompromised patients. Traditional diagnostic testing has relied on staining and direct visualization of the life-forms in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. This method has proven insensitive, and invasive procedures may be needed to obtain adequate samples. Molecular methods of detection such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and antibody-antigen assays have been developed in an effort to solve these problems. These techniques are very sensitive and have the potential to detect Pneumocystis life-forms in noninvasive samples such as sputum, oral washes, nasopharyngeal aspirates, and serum. This review evaluates 100 studies that compare use of various diagnostic tests for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in patient samples. Novel diagnostic methods have been widely used in the research setting but have faced barriers to clinical implementation including: interpretation of low fungal burdens, standardization of techniques, integration into resource-poor settings, poor understanding of the impact of host factors, geographic variations in the organism, heterogeneity of studies, and limited clinician recognition of PCP. Addressing these barriers will require identification of phenotypes that progress to PCP and diagnostic cut-offs for colonization, generation of life-form specific markers, comparison of commercial PCR assays, investigation of cost-effective point of care options, evaluation of host factors such as HIV status that may impact diagnosis, and identification of markers of genetic diversity that may be useful in diagnostic panels. Performing high-quality studies and educating physicians will be crucial to improve the rates of diagnosis of PCP and ultimately to improve patient outcomes., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Introduction: it has been estimated that about 11.8% of the Nigerians suffer serious fungal infections annually. A high index of suspicion with early diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy significantly impacts on the morbidity and mortality of invasive fungal infections (IFIs)., Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional multicentre survey across 7 tertiary hospitals in 5 geopolitical zones of Nigeria between June 2013 and March 2015. Knowledge, awareness and practice of Nigerian resident doctors about the diagnosis and management of invasive fungal infections were evaluated using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire. Assessment was categorized as poor, fair and good., Results: 834(79.7%) of the 1046 participants had some knowledge of IFIs, 338(32.3%) from undergraduate medical training and 191(18.3%) during post-graduate (specialty) residency training. Number of years spent in clinical practice was positively related to knowledge of management of IFIs, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Only 2 (0.002%) out of the 1046 respondents had a good level of awareness of IFIs. Only 4(0.4%) of respondents had seen > 10 cases of IFIs; while 10(1%) had seen between 5-10 cases, 180(17.2%) less than 5 cases and the rest had never seen or managed any cases of IFIs. There were statistically significant differences in knowledge about IFIs among the various cadres of doctors (p < 0.001) as level of knowledge increased with rank/seniority., Conclusion: knowledge gaps exist that could militate against optimal management of IFIs in Nigeria. Targeted continuing medical education (CME) programmes and a revision of the postgraduate medical education curriculum is recommended., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright: Rita Oladele et al.)

Mucormycosis is a difficult to diagnose rare disease with high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is often delayed, and disease tends to progress rapidly. Urgent surgical and medical intervention is lifesaving. Guidance on the complex multidisciplinary management has potential to improve prognosis, but approaches differ between health-care settings. From January, 2018, authors from 33 countries in all United Nations regions analysed the published evidence on mucormycosis management and provided consensus recommendations addressing differences between the regions of the world as part of the "One World One Guideline" initiative of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM). Diagnostic management does not differ greatly between world regions. Upon suspicion of mucormycosis appropriate imaging is strongly recommended to document extent of disease and is followed by strongly recommended surgical intervention. First-line treatment with high-dose liposomal amphotericin B is strongly recommended, while intravenous isavuconazole and intravenous or delayed release tablet posaconazole are recommended with moderate strength. Both triazoles are strongly recommended salvage treatments. Amphotericin B deoxycholate is recommended against, because of substantial toxicity, but may be the only option in resource limited settings. Management of mucormycosis depends on recognising disease patterns and on early diagnosis. Limited availability of contemporary treatments burdens patients in low and middle income settings. Areas of uncertainty were identified and future research directions specified., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In 2018, WHO issued guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention, and management of HIV-related cryptococcal disease. Two strategies are recommended to reduce the high mortality associated with HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs): optimised combination therapies for confirmed meningitis cases and cryptococcal antigen screening programmes for ambulatory people living with HIV who access care. WHO's preferred therapy for the treatment of HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis in LMICs is 1 week of amphotericin B plus flucytosine, and the alternative therapy is 2 weeks of fluconazole plus flucytosine. In the ACTA trial, 1-week (short course) amphotericin B plus flucytosine resulted in a 10-week mortality of 24% (95% CI -16 to 32) and 2 weeks of fluconazole and flucytosine resulted in a 10-week mortality of 35% (95% CI -29 to 41). However, with widely used fluconazole monotherapy, mortality because of HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis is approximately 70% in many African LMIC settings. Therefore, the potential to transform the management of HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis in resource-limited settings is substantial. Sustainable access to essential medicines, including flucytosine and amphotericin B, in LMICs is paramount and the focus of this Personal View., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Disseminated histoplasmosis, a disease that often resembles and is mistaken for tuberculosis, is a major cause of death in patients with advanced HIV disease. Histoplasma antigen detection tests are an important addition to the diagnostic arsenal for patients with advanced HIV disease and should be considered for inclusion on the World Health Organization Essential Diagnostics List., Objective: Our objective was to systematically review the literature to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Histoplasma antigen tests in the context of advanced HIV disease, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries., Methods: A systematic review of the published literature extracted data on comparator groups, type of histoplasmosis, HIV status, performance results, patient numbers, whether patients were consecutively enrolled or if the study used biobank samples. PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs and Scielo databases were searched for published articles between 1981 and 2018. There was no language restriction., Results: Of 1327 screened abstracts we included a total of 16 studies in humans for further analysis. Most studies included used a heterogeneousgroup of patients, often without HIV or mixing HIV and non HIV patients, with disseminated or non-disseminated forms of histoplasmosis. Six studies did not systematically use mycologically confirmed cases as a gold standard but compared antigen detection tests against another antigen detection test. Patient numbers were generally small (19-65) in individual studies and, in most (7/10), no confidence intervals were given. The post test probability of a positive or negative test were good suggesting that this non invasive diagnostic tool would be very useful for HIV care givers at the level of reference hospitals or hospitals with the infrastructure to perform ELISA tests. The first results evaluating point of care antigen detection tests using a lateral flow assay were promising with high sensitivity and specificity., Conclusions: Antigen detection tests are promising tools to improve detection of and ultimately reduce the burden of histoplasmosis mortality in patients with advanced HIV disease., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.