[Image: Wiki Commons]
A new global health threat is spreading, and this time it’s not bacteria threatening to unleash fiction on the world; it’s fungi.
Microscopic fungal spores, found in soil, air, and even on human skin, are behind a rise in dangerous infections around the world.
While HBO’s The Last of Us imagines a world destroyed by a fictional, mutated Cordyceps fungus that turns humans into violent, zombie-like hosts, fortunately, the real-life Cordyceps only targets insects like ants and beetles.
But the actual threat doesn’t need science fiction to be terrifying. Fungi that cause severe illness and death are becoming increasingly common and harder to treat.
An estimated 6.5 million invasive fungal infections occur worldwide each year, leading to about 3.8 million deaths. Many of these cases are growing more drug-resistant.
Recognising the urgent need for new treatments, the World Health Organisation (WHO) in April listed 19 fungal species as critical, high, or medium priorities for drug development.
While bacterial infections claim more lives annually (about 4.7 million), doctors have hundreds of antibiotics at their disposal. By contrast, there are only about 17 antifungal drugs currently in use. That’s partly because fungi are genetically closer to humans than bacteria, making it harder to design drugs that don’t harm human cells.
“The best antifungal we have can also damage human kidneys,” said Dr. Neil Clancy, infectious disease expert and director of the mycology program at the University of Pittsburgh. “Others can cause side effects like liver damage, impotence, pancreatitis, and severe allergic reactions.”
For otherwise healthy individuals, fungal infections are often manageable if treated early. But for immunocompromised patients, including those undergoing chemotherapy, living with HIV/AIDS, or recovering from organ transplants, the risk of serious infection is much higher.
Topping the WHO’s priority list is Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungus that causes a deadly form of meningitis. In patients with HIV, its mortality rate can reach 61%.
Second is Aspergillus fumigatus, a common mould found in soil and decaying leaves that can damage the lungs and spread throughout the body. Its mortality rate can be as high as 40%.
“It’s everywhere,” said Dr. Clancy. “And we desperately need new antifungal treatments to fight it.”
[Source: CNN]
