Urban population see rise in difficult-to-treat ringworm cases: Expert

Fungal infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat with ringworm cases now reported even among urban people who maintain high standards of hygiene a mycology expert said on Thursday as young doctors were trained on infectious disease management ahead of the 16th annual conference of the Clinical Infectious Diseases Society CIDSCON2026 in GandhinagarDr M R Shivaprakash a mycology expert and faculty member at the workshops said the growing incidence of fungal infections and resistance to antifungal medicines required greater awareness among doctorsHe said that while antibiotic resistance is widely recognised antifungal resistance also needs attention particularly because treating serious fungal infections can be complexldquoA basic understanding of which antifungal medicines are effective in serious conditions such as brain infections is essentialrdquo Dr Shivaprakash saidHe also highlighted the changing pattern of ringworm or dermatophytosisAccording to him the infection could be treated with ordinary ointments about a decade ago but it has now become increasingly difficult to cure Even after prolonged treatment it can spread across the body and to the scalpDr Shivaprakash said the infection was also spreading from animals to humans and from person to person similar to scabiesHe said it was no longer restricted to rural areas or economically weaker sections with cases increasingly seen among urban populations and people who maintain high standards of hygieneHe urged young doctors to ensure accurate diagnosis using appropriate methods and develop a clear understanding of the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of antifungal medicinesHe also called for antifungal stewardship programmes to be kept separate from antibacterial stewardship programmes to help control antifungal resistanceThe workshops for postgraduate resident doctors and young doctors were held at Mahatma Mandir on Thursday as part of the buildup to CIDSCON2026The sessions focused on accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases modern treatment methods and the appropriate use of antibioticsCIDSCON2026 is being held in Gandhinagar from August 20 to 23 with the main conference scheduled from August 21 to 23 The official theme is ldquoAddressing AMR From Awareness to ActionrdquoDr Harsh Toshniwal CIDSCON coorganising chairman and Professor and Head of the Department at Shree Swaminarayan Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Kalol said the conference is particularly relevant because of its focus on fever and different types of infectionsYoung doctors are advised to avoid unnecessary antibiotics use them judiciously and give priority to accurate diagnosis Antibiotics should be avoided in cases such as viral or seasonal fever so that their effectiveness could be preserved for future generations he saidDr Toshniwal said doctors should take a complete patient history conduct a physical examination and use appropriate laboratory tests to reach an accurate diagnosisMicrobiologist Dr Anjali Shetty who travelled from Mumbai to guide the young doctors said the conference would help spread awareness about infection control microbiology and infectious diseases across the countryShe described the days sessions as highly informative and said they had attracted a large number of doctorsDr Chintan Jadav who participated in the workshop said such sessions provided valuable guidance to young postgraduate doctors in dealing with daytoday challenges in clinical practice and delivering betterquality treatment to patientsThe workshops covered five areas ldquoID 360 Mastering the Basicsrdquo focused on the fundamentals of infectious diseases detailed case historytaking and basic examination methodsldquoMicrobiology 360 Diagnostics Stewardship and Infection Controlrdquo covered laboratory diagnosis appropriate use of medicines and infectioncontrol practices in hospitalsldquoThe Zero Defence Challenge ID in the Immunocompromisedrdquo focused on the complex treatment of patients with weakened immunity including those with diabetes kidney failure and organ transplantsAnother session ldquoAI and Technology in ID Practicerdquo examined the use of artificial intelligence and modern technology to diagnose and treat infectious diseasesThe ldquoID Issues in Surgical Practicerdquo workshop addressed infection prevention during and after surgery and the appropriate use of antibioticsThe wider CIDSCON programme is set to bring together infectious disease specialists clinicians researchers microbiologists and other healthcare professionals with more than 950 delegates expected to participateIts programme includes discussions on antimicrobial resistance tropical infections tuberculosis HIV fungal infections virology infection control antimicrobial stewardship and infections among immunocompromised patientsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever