Abstract
Data with respect to the epidemiological situation of fungal diseases in Colombia is scarce. Thus, the aim of this study is to estimate the burden of fungal infections. A population projection for 2017 from the Colombian Department for National Statistics was used, as well as official information from the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Health. A bibliographical search for Colombian data on mycotic diseases and population at risk (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV infection/AIDS, cancer, and transplant patients) was done. The Colombian population for 2017 was estimated at 49,291,609 inhabitants, and the estimated number of fungal infections for Colombia in 2017 was between 753,523 and 757,928, with nearly 600,000 cases of candidiasis, 130,000 cases of aspergillosis, and 16,000 cases of opportunistic infection in HIV, affecting around 1.5% of the population. In conclusion, fungal infections represent an important burden of disease for the Colombian population. Different clinical, epidemiological, and developmental scenarios can be observed in which fungal infections occur in Colombia.
Highlights
Access to data on the burden of disease is critical for public health actions
The burden of serious fungal infections in the country was estimated using the methodology established by Leading International Fungal Education (LIFE), which has been used previously for different countries in the world [6]
Colombia is situated in the north coast of South America
Summary
Access to data on the burden of disease is critical for public health actions. Globally, fungal infectious diseases of the lung have been estimated to affect tens of millions and lead to over a million deaths annually [1]. The Andes mountains cross the country alongside two big rivers (Magdalena and Cauca), creating almost every type of weather niche, from deserts in the north part, to jungle in the Amazon basin and the Pacific coast, and even snow peaks, together with extensive areas of coffee and other plantations. In this scenario, large cities with corresponding pollution problems have developed (for example Bogota, 2600 m above sea level with an estimated population of 8 million) with severe inequities between the rural and urban populations
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