Working Group Interim Report 2015-2016

1 / Title of Working Group / Eumycetoma working group
2 / Name(s) of Coordinator(s) / Dr. Wendy W.J. van de Sande
3 / Primary email contact for Working Group /
4 / Objectives / -To provide an official body for all researchers and health care workers interested in all aspects of mycetoma under the umbrella of ISHAM
-To encourage the study of all aspects of mycetoma
-To increase the awareness of the scientific community and public about this neglected infection
-To facilitate the exchange of ideas and information about epidemiology, immunopathology, diagnosis and management of mycetoma
-To facilitate the organization of mycetoma symposia in big microbiology and mycology meetings
-To facilitate fund raising
5 / Achievements of the Working Group in last year (250 words) / In 2015 and 2016 we have been actively involved to get mycetoma recorgnized as a neglected tropical disease (NTD) by the World Health Organization by the World Health Organization. On 28 may 2016, mycetoma was officially recognized as the 18th NTD at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. Hopefully this will lead to new opportunities for fund raising. In terms of fund raising we are also pleased that Drugs for Neglected diseases initiative (DNDi) has added mycetoma to its portfolio and as such the first clinical trial on a new drug for mycetoma will commence this year.
Working group meetings were held during the ISHAM conference in Melbourne in 2015 and on 20-21 may 2016 in Argentina. This latter hopefully results in new members of our working group. Collaborations between members of our working groups already were formed during these conferences.
Also the broader public was approached by a series of reports on mycetoma by Amy Maxmen which was published on global health now.
6 / Is your Working Group going to continue for the next three years? / Yes