India Faces Alarming Fungal Disease Burden, Experts Urge Dedicated Diagnostics

As of November 2025, India is grappling with a severe fungal disease crisis, with experts estimating that over 57 million people, or 4.1% of the population, are affected by serious fungal infections. This burden is a shocking 10 times higher than the annual incidence of tuberculosis in the country.

Recognizing the urgent need for improved fungal surveillance and diagnostics, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had previously established a dedicated Mycology Network (MycoNet) at eight public health facilities across India. However, the ICMR has now integrated these specialized fungal labs into a larger Infectious Diseases Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (IDRL) network, raising concerns among experts about the potential dilution of the focused attention and resources required to address the escalating fungal disease threat.

Infectious diseases expert Dr. David W. Denning, who co-authored a recent study on India's fungal disease burden, emphasizes the critical role of reference labs in specialized testing and the need for a well-functioning national network of fungal diagnostic facilities to improve patient outcomes and train the next generation of experts. Experts fear that without continued prioritization and expansion of these specialized labs, the existing gaps in diagnostics, limited treatment options, and the growing threat of drug resistance and co-infections with tuberculosis could endanger countless lives.