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https://theconversation.com/antifungal-resistance-is-not-getting-nearly-as-much-attention-as-antibiotic-resistance-yet-the-risks-to-global-health-are-just-as-serious-239677>
"Fungi are known for causing superficial infections of the nails, skin and
hair, but they can also cause systemic infections that can have much more
serious health implications. Indeed, over 6.5 million people are infected
yearly with a life-threatening fungal infection, leading to 3.8 million deaths.
Many of the fungi we know are an essential part of nitrogen and carbon
recycling in the environment through their action of decomposing complex
material. As they grow, they can undergo “sporulation”, where they release tiny
spores that are dispersed on air currents. These spores are breathed in but are
usually cleared by the lungs.
However, this clearing is impaired in people with lung issues, such as cystic
fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis and lung cancer,
putting them at a significant risk of developing a fungal lung infection.
Many of the fungal pathogens are resistant to treatment with current drugs – of
which only four classes are in use – or can rapidly acquire resistance during
treatment or in their natural environment. As with bacteria and antibiotic
resistance, so fungi can evolve to become resistant to the drugs used to treat
them.
In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the fungal pathogens
priority list that catalogued fungi that pose a significant risk to human
health. Of critical importance are
Candida albicans and
auris,
Aspergillus
fumigatus and
Cryptococcus neoformans.
The WHO list was designed to guide public health action and boost research and
awareness in this field. Yet it has become clear that the desired effect of
including fungal infections in the antimicrobial resistance policy debate is
yet to be achieved. In a recent series of four articles in
The Lancet about
antimicrobial resistance (which includes resistance to bacteria, fungi, viruses
and parasites), the problem of fungal disease contained just five sentences on
the issue.
The second UN-hosted meeting on antimicrobial resistance took place on
September 26. Aside from the wider acknowledgement of antimicrobial resistance,
the meeting drew attention to the growing problem of fungal pathogens and their
resistance to known treatments, globally."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
