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Cracks in the Curriculum: The Hidden Deficiencies in Fungal Disease Coverage in Medical Books

Summary

This study examined how well major medical textbooks teach doctors and medical students about fungal infections. Researchers found that books focused on infectious diseases do a much better job than general medicine textbooks in covering important information about fungal diseases. Many textbooks lack sufficient information about preventing fungal infections and diagnosing them correctly, which could lead to delayed treatment and poor patient outcomes.

Background

Fungal infections cause over 3.8 million deaths annually and represent a significant public health burden, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Medical textbooks remain primary educational resources for healthcare professionals and students, yet mycology content may be outdated and inadequate for current clinical practice.

Objective

This study assessed and compared mycology content in leading internal medicine and infectious diseases textbooks to identify gaps and deficiencies in fungal disease coverage. The analysis evaluated content quality against current medical mycology knowledge and international guidelines.

Results

Mandell and Feigin (infectious diseases textbooks) demonstrated significantly better mycology coverage than internal medicine textbooks, with Mandell achieving scores ≥4 for 66.7% of diseases. Harrison, Cecil, and Current showed inadequate coverage, with Current performing worst (75% of diseases scored median of 1). Critical gaps included prevention (median 1 across all books except Mandell), diagnosis, and coverage of emerging fungal species.

Conclusion

Infectious diseases textbooks provide superior mycology education compared to internal medicine textbooks, though all texts lack adequate coverage of prevention and emerging diseases. Healthcare professionals should supplement textbook education with current guidelines and peer-reviewed literature to ensure competent management of fungal infections and optimal patient outcomes.
  • Published in:Open Forum Infectious Diseases,
  • Study Type:Comparative Content Analysis,
  • Source: 10.1093/ofid/ofaf145, PMID: 40170751
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