Deadly Fungi Are the Newest Emerging Microbe Threat All Over the World

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has warned that the Candida auris fungus is spreading rapidly in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Candida auris can be lethal and reportedly kills up to two-thirds of people who are infected. This fungus’s resistance to treatment and ability to thrive on hard surfaces and resist cleaning chemicals make it particularly dangerous. In addition, it is not the only deadly fungi which is spreading across the world. Concerns have been rising about the potential for Covid-19 to increase the risk of lethal fungal infections. Those with Covid-19 can end up being left vulnerable to fungi as immune-damping drugs disable their innate defences and broad-spectrum antibiotics kill off beneficial bacteria that keep invading microbes in check.

An estimated 300 million people are infected with fungal diseases worldwide each year, with as many as 1.6 million deaths caused by these conditions; these figures exceed those for malaria and are comparable to tuberculosis. According to the CDC, more than 75,000 people are hospitalised in the US each year for fungal infections, with an additional 8.9 million seeking outpatient visits. Such figures are causing great concern for epidemiologists and physicians, as most medical training ensures doctors are programmed to be wary of viruses and bacteria, but fungi are rarely discussed. While mammals have always been protected from fungi by their immune defences and their warmer core temperature, the development of modern medicine has meant far more people with impaired immune systems are living for longer. Transplant recipients and people with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis receive therapies that deliberately suppress immunity to make them healthy, while others have weakened immune systems as a result of withdrawal from the population of antibiotics.

Human behaviour has played an additional part in creating a more hospitable environment for fungal infections. Farming and homebuilding disturb the soil and release pathogens, while the widespread use of fungicides in agriculture has led to more resistant strains evolving. Climate change is forcing fungi to move into regions where they are not normally found, while droughts and forest fires produce airborne spores.

According to Tom Chiller, a physician, epidemiologist and head of the section at the CDC which monitors health threats from fungi, the lack of knowledge about fungi and their threat to human health means that the medical community is facing “an enormous blind spot” when trying to prevent the spread of fungal disease. His concerns were reflected in a report in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, which warned: “The last decade has seen a surge in fatal fungal infections due to substandard healthcare, debilitating immune disorders and drug-resistant strains arising from widespread clinical use of fungicides… These fatal fungal infections are a hidden pandemic in plain sight resulting in a massive loss of human life worldwide.”



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