Online Program

Oral

Fungi are ubiquitous and fungal diseases pose an important threat to public health for several reasons. Community-acquired infections, such as coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) and blastomycosis, are caused by fungi that live in the environment and are endemic in specific geographic areas. These fungi are sensitive to changes in temperature and moisture, and surveillance can help us to understand how climate change may be affecting their growth and distribution. Opportunistic fungal infections continue to pose threats to people with weakened immune systems. For example, among people with HIV infection, the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningitis in hundreds of thousands of people every year and remains a leading cause of death in parts of the world where challenges impede access to antiretroviral therapy. Hospital-associated infections are an increasing public health concern and healthcare practices can provide opportunities for new and drug-resistant fungi. Candida is a leading cause of bloodstream infections in the United States, and resistance to some antifungal medication is an emerging public health issue. Come to hear more about the fascinating public health work on these fungal diseases being done all around this moldy planet of ours.

Session Objectives: Describe the importance of identifying fungal diseases among people with HIV and AIDS. Discuss the changing geography of classic endemic fungal diseases. Describe the changing pattern of antifungal resistance. Explain how various surveillance systems can be incorporated to improve the understanding of the epidemiology for fungal infections.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)