Laboratory Training Workshop for the Launch of the FUNgi-Cam ANRS 0468 Study
From October 14 to 18, 2024, the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) and the Institut Pasteur Paris (IPP) co-hosted a Laboratory Training Workshop at IPC’s Medical Biology Laboratory. This workshop marked the launching of the FUNgi-Cam ANRS 0468 study entitled “Prevalence of Invasive Fungal Infections (IFIs) – Histoplasmosis, Talaromycosis, Cryptococcosis – in Severely Immunocompromised HIV-Infected Patients in Cambodia,” funded by Inserm ANRS-MIE and implemented by IPC. This retrospective study is a collaborative effort involving researchers from IPP, IPC, Cayenne Hospital Center, and the University of Health Sciences. The laboratory training program covers theoretical and practical aspects of laboratory diagnostics for IFIs, providing hands-on experience and instruction in result interpretation across various diagnostic techniques, including direct examination, fungal culture, Enzyme Immunoassays, lateral flow assays, and qPCR. A group of 8 participants from IPC, Calmette Hospital, UHS and NCHADS were trained during one week with the objective to implement these essential methods for the accurate and timely diagnosis of IFIs in their facilities, which is crucial for managing patients with severe immunocompromised conditions, especially PLHIV.