A silent pandemic: Scientists warn of rising deadly fungal infection

The world is experiencing a crisis in antibiotic resistance, causing almost 5 million deaths annually. However, bacteria are not the only concern.

Fungal infections are also evolving and becoming resistant to the medicines used to treat them, creating what some researchers are calling a “silent pandemic.”

According to molecular biologist Norman van Rhijn from the University of Manchester, fungal infections and antifungal resistance are being overlooked in global health discussions. He explained, “The threat of fungal pathogens and antifungal resistance, even though it is a growing global issue, is being left out of the debate.”

In September, the United Nations will host a meeting in New York City to discuss antimicrobial resistance. This meeting will focus on resistant bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.

Norman van Rhijn, along with an international group of scientists, is urging governments, researchers, and the pharmaceutical industry to broaden their focus beyond just bacteria.

In their comments in The Lancet study, van Rhijn and his colleagues stressed that fungal infections must not be ignored in efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Without urgent action, fungal infections could become even more dangerous. Currently, these infections affect 6.5 million people each year and lead to 3.8 million deaths.

Fungal diseases such as Aspergillus fumigatus, which affects the lungs, and Candida, which causes yeast infections, are considered the most dangerous.

People with weakened immune systems and older adults are at the highest risk. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already listed these and other fungal pathogens as top priorities for global health.

“Most people agree that resistant bacterial infections constitute a significant part of the AMR (antimicrobial resistance) problem. However, many drug resistance problems over the past decades have also been the result of invasive fungal diseases largely underrecognized by scientists, governments, clinicians and pharmaceuticals companies. The threat of fungal pathogens and antifungal resistance, even though it is a growing global issue, is being left out of the debate,” said Dr van Rhijn.

Fungi are particularly challenging to treat because their structure is more similar to animals than bacteria, making it harder to create drugs that kill fungi without harming human cells.

Currently, there are only four classes of antifungal drugs, and resistance to them is increasing.

Van Rhijn’s team is concerned that agricultural practices are contributing to the problem. Fungicides used in farming can cause cross-resistance in the fungi that affect humans. They suggest that the world needs a balance between protecting crops and treating fungal infections.

The upcoming UN meeting is seen as a critical moment for starting a global approach to combating antimicrobial resistance, with fungi included in the fight. The researchers concluded, “No microbe should be left behind.”