According to a study published in the Journal of Open Forum Infectious Diseases, serious fungal diseases affect over 5.7 crore Indians. In this review study, the researchers observed that more than 10% of the fungal infection cases are caused by deadly mold infection.

Dr. Animesh Ray, AIIMS Delhi, stated that the total burden of fungal diseases in India is huge but underappreciated. He added that in comparison to tuberculosis, which affects less than 3 million people a year, the number of people affected by fungal diseases is several-fold higher.

The review study showed that around 2.4 million women of reproductive age are affected by vaginal thrust, also known as a yeast infection of the vagina. Meanwhile, a large population of school-going children was affected by a fungal infection of the hair, or tinea capitis.

Additionally, the researchers revealed that 35 lakh people are infected with serious allergic lung mold disease, followed by 17 lakh people infected with chronic aspergillosis, and 2.5 lakh people infected with mold infections of the lung and sinuses. They also added that over 10 lakh people have fungal eye infections that can progress to complete blindness, whereas nearly 2 lakh people are infected with mucormycosis, or black mold infection.

According to the study′s lead author, the total burden of serious fungal infection in India is more than ten times the annual incidence of tuberculosis. He explained that these numbers indicate a huge population affected by fungal diseases that contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in India.