Estimated burden of serious human fungal diseases in Turkey.

Abstract

The current number of fungal infections occurring each year in Turkey is unknown. We estimated the burden of serious human fungal diseases based on the population at risk, existing epidemiological data from 1920 to 2017 and modelling previously described by the LIFE program (http://www.LIFE-worldwide.org). Among the population of Turkey (80.8 million in 2017), approximately 1785811 (2.21%) people are estimated to suffer from a serious fungal infection each year. The model used predicts high prevalences of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis episodes (312994 cases) (392/100000), of severe asthma with fungal sensitisation (42989 cases) (53.20 cases/100000 adults per year), of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (32594 cases) (40.33/100000), of fungal keratitis (26671 cases) (33/100000) and of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (5890 cases) (7.29/100000). The estimated annual incidence for invasive aspergillosis is lower (3911 cases) (4.84/100000 annually). Among about 22.5 million women aged 15-50years, recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis is estimated to occur in 1350371 (3342/100000) females. The burden of three superficial fungal infections was also estimated: tinea pedis (1.79 million), tinea capitis (43900) and onychomycosis (1.73 million). Given that the modelling estimates reported in the current study might be substantially under- or overestimated, formal epidemiological and comprehensive surveillance studies are required to validate or modify these estimates.