Fungal Diseases (Hansard, 4 February 2004)

§ Lord Turnberg
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps are being taken to prevent and treat diseases due to fungal infections. [HL1019]

§ Lord Warner
Fungal infections range from common, mild superficial infections such as athlete's foot to serious life-threatening diseases such as invasive aspergillosis which normally affect immuno-compromised patients. Antifungal drugs are available but reducing the number of invasive cases is especially important in hospitals and guidance¹ is available.
¹ Department of Health. NHS Estates. Infection control in the built environment: design and planning. London, The Stationery Office. Second edition 2002.

§ Lord Turnberg
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the budget allocated to research into the causes and treatment of fungal diseases. [HL1020]

§ Lord Warner
The Department of Health has recently commissioned a £120,000 study into the relationship between antifungal drug use, salivary gland dysfunction and antifungal drug resistance in patients with advanced cancer. The department also supports fungal disease research carried out within the National Health Service. South Manchester University Hospital NHS Trust and Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust have an ongoing programme of research on invasive fungal diseases. The two trusts spent £227,000 on this programme in 2002–03. In addition, the department supports fungal disease research carried out by the Health Protection Agency.
The Medical Research Council has supported research on fungal diseases and is currently funding one grant.
The total value of grants and studentships awarded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council since 1997 for research into the causes and treatment of fungal diseases is approximately £3.5 million. This figure relates to animal and human fungal pathogens.

§ Lord Turnberg
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many laboratories specialise in the investigation and treatment of life-threatening fungal diseases; and whether they consider this number adequate to meet the need. [HL1021]

§ Lord Warner
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has a national mycology reference centre, at Bristol, and two HPA regional laboratories (at Manchester and Cardiff) which have a special interest and capabilities in mycology.
Most National Health Service pathology services have a microbiology laboratory which is able to test for fungal infections to meet local clinical demand.