Infections caused by fungi (plural of fungus) (yeast or moulds) are known as Mycosis. Many fungal pathogens are endemic in India. Fungal infections are most common in skin or nails followed by mouth, throat, lungs, urinary tract and many systemic parts of your body (Ray et al., 2022). Fungal infections in skin are common and generally mild and sometimes it may cause severe disease or very sick in immune suppressed population. Whether they are parasites or saprophytes, fungi have the ability to survive in both living and dead organic matter (Ray et al., 2022). The Mycologists can able to identify and classify fungus according to their microscopy and macroscopic structure and by the method of reproduction, which may be either sexual or asexual (Chakrabarti et al, 2011). In growing fungus, they have branched filaments are called hyphae into mycelium (like branches) followed by compartmented cross walls called septate. ‘Fungi imperfecta’ is an unknown sexual reproductive infectious phase to humans. Yeast forms are characterized by either round or oval cells. They may be in budding or in the form of chain called pseudo mycelium ( Schools of Wikipedia 2007). The fungal infections can be divided into four types they are: Superficial, subcutaneous, systemic and opportunistic mycosis can affect outer and deeper (the dermis, subcutaneous tissue and even bone) layers of the skin, the nails, hair and systemic organs of the human body. Critical diagnosis of fungal infections in India is quite expensive and required expertise in matter. There are various pathogenic fungal species like Dermatophytes, Candida albicans, Non-albicans, Malassezia, Piedra, Aspergillosis, Zygomycosis, Cryptococcosis, have been identified as endemic in India through non-molecular methods in different basic diagnostic centres (Chakrabarti et al, 2011). Non-molecular methods like microscopy and culture are cost affordable, hence it requires more time. Due to these methods the diagnosis may get delayed and the patient may get fatal. In India, the first case of systemic mycosis i.e., histoplasmosis was reported in Calcutta region in the year 1954 (Panja et al, 1954). The outbreak of fungal infections was observed in several disease conditions like Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), chronic obstructive disease (COPD), malignancies and others like COVID-19 associated Mucormycosis (Black fungus) among Indian population (WHO, 2019). The study's primary goal is to evaluate the latest advanced techniques that are accessible in India for diagnosing fungal infections.
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