CONTEXT: Recently, dermatologists from India and thirteen other countries expressed their objections to the region-specific name assigned to a newly identified species of fungus, known as Trichophyton (T.) indotineae.
The Issue with Disease Naming
- The name of the fungus can sometimes be prejudicial, perpetuating stereotypes and biases.
- These names often ignore the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), which aims to avoid stigmatization.
- Inaccurate or harmful names can lead to misinformation, stigmatization, and racial prejudice, affecting affected communities and people’s perceptions.
About Trichophyton indotineae
- The fungus was first identified in patients from India and Nepal in 2020 and was considered a new species, named Trichophyton indotineae.
- The origin of the fungus remains unclear.
- Since its discovery, Trichophyton indotineae has been reported in over 40 countries.
- The fungus causes widespread, hard-to-treat skin infections, typically presenting as red, itchy, and scaly patches.
- It has shown resistance to most first-line anti-fungal treatments, making it difficult to manage and treat.
How Are Diseases Designated?
- The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for naming both new and, in rare cases, existing diseases, following the guidelines of the International Classification of Diseases.
- The naming process involves consultation with WHO member states and adheres to guidelines set by the WHO in 2015.
Terms Discouraged in Disease Nomenclature:
Certain terms are discouraged when naming diseases, to avoid stigma or misinformation:
- Geographic identifiers (e.g., Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Spanish Flu, Rift Valley Fever).
- Names of individuals (e.g., Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Chagas disease).
- Names of animal species or food products (e.g., Swine flu, bird flu, monkeypox).
- Cultural, demographic, industrial, or occupational references (e.g., Legionnaires’ disease).
- Terms that may provoke unnecessary alarm (e.g., unknown, fatal, epidemic).
Preferred Naming Convention:
- The WHO encourages using generic descriptive terms that reflect the symptoms associated with the disease (e.g., respiratory disease, neurologic syndrome, watery diarrhea).
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