Management of HIV/AIDS-Associated Opportunistic Skin Infections with Phytoderma TM

Infectious fungal skin diseases are increasing globally in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) and even in those receiving antiretroviral therapy.Although the disease burdens due skin infections are potentially high, they are hardly considered as major public health problems in literature and at the global health stage compared to malaria, tuberculosis and some neglected tropical diseases in Cameroon and most Sub Saharan Africa countries, skin infections due to fungi are increasinglycompeting on the scale with opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS long term use of imidazole antifungal derivatives such as ketoconazole, fluconazole and econazole are becoming ineffective to treat many of the skin infections seen in these countries and these have been blamed largely on the unavailability of established antifungal gram guided prescription in health centers in these countries. Similarly, other antifungal drugs such as griseofulvin, nystatin, diflucan, benzoic acids, and salicylic acid have also been over prescribed in sub Saharan Africa and over the years; leading to the development of resistant strains of many fungal species.

These treatment challenges couple with the unpleasant side effects that the patients receiving this treatment have to go through calls for the need to continuously search for new antifungal leads and alternative or complementary measures. Interestingly, and other researchers reported that there are a number of indigenous mushrooms that could play a role in the treatment of skin infections. A number of studies have also shown that many medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum have a wide range of medicinal applications.