Science warns of a 'silent pandemic' approaching

Bacteria and viruses aren't the only mutating pathogens we need to worry about.

Fungal infections are beyond medical control and risk becoming a "silent epidemic" that needs to be addressed urgently, researchers have warned .

A pandemic caused by a fungal infection may be approaching (Illustration photo: Getty).

"The threat from fungal pathogens is growing, but is overlooked in the debate," said Norman van Rhijn, a molecular biologist at the University of Manchester (UK).

Without urgent attention and action, some particularly dangerous fungal infections, which already infect 6.5 million people and kill 3.8 million each year, could become even more dangerous, the expert said.

'The over-focus on bacteria is worrying ,' Norman van Rhijn and colleagues emphasize.

'Because that's when we forget about invasive fungal diseases, especially since most of them are not fully recognized by the community and government.'

Compared to bacteria or viruses, fungi are more complex organisms, because they have a structure similar to animals.

This makes it more difficult and expensive for scientists to develop drugs that kill fungal cells without harming other important cells in the body.

Aspergillus fumigatus fungal infections are often difficult to treat (Photo: Science Alert).

Even when these drugs came to market after years of development and clinical trials, they were hampered by the development of fungicides with similar mechanisms of action by the agrochemical industry.

This leads to "cross-resistance" to the most dangerous pathogens in fungi, making them even more dangerous, according to researchers .

' Antifungal chemicals are essential for food security. But there must be a balance between food security and the ability to treat drug-resistant fungal pathogens , ' the team said.

In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a list of priority fungal pathogens, the first global effort to systematically prioritize fungal pathogens.

At the top of the list of pathogenic fungi considered most dangerous to human health is Aspergillus fumigatus , which originates from molds and causes respiratory infections.

Following in order are Candida (causing infections), Nakaseomyces glabratus (causing urinary tract or blood infections), Trichophyton indotineae (causing skin, hair and nail infections).

Of these, older adults or people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk from these fungi.