Rise in Fungal Infections

Context

Due to climate change fungal infections are not just spreading at a faster rate but also new infections are emerging globally.
Fungal diseases are a public health threat as they are often difficult to manage.

Fungi

Fungi is a heterotrophic, eukaryotic organism.
Most fungi are multicellular, although some, such as yeasts, are unicellular.
Both sexual and asexual modes of reproduction can take place in fungi.
Examples of diseases caused by fungi are ringworm and histoplasmosis.
It is estimated that there could be 6 million species of fungi, of which scientists have so far identified only about 150,000 species.

Importance of fungi

Fungi play an important role in the process of decomposition by converting organic matter into inorganic substances.
Such nutrients are returned to the soil and are made available to plants for intake to aid growth.
Fungi are also a part of the human microbiome. Also known as commensals, they live on human skin, in mucosal surfaces such as the oral cavity and vagina and in the gut, where they assist in digestion and train the immune system and its responses.
Humans also use fungi for production of bioactive chemical compounds such as food (bread, cheese and wine), fuels (ethanol and biogas), pest control (herbicides, pesticides) and antibiotics (such as penicillin and cephalosporins).

Emerging Threats

More than 300 million people are affected by serious fungal infections, with nearly two million deaths every year. This is higher than the mortality caused by either tuberculosis (TB) or malaria.
Medical interventions that include immunosuppressants, persistent HIV infection and diabetes are helping growth of harmful fungi. Eg: The outbreak of mucormycosis (referred to as black fungus) in India, in 2021.
Fungi in nature have begun adapting to higher temperatures and non-disease causing fungi are turning into disease causing fungi.
There are only four classes of antifungals and fungus have started showing resistance to some of them.

Fungal Priority Pathogen List (FPPL)

The World Health Organisation released the first ever FPPL which includes 19 fungi that can be a threat to public health.
The major objective of the FPPL is to further research and policy interventions to strengthen the global response to fungal infections and antifungal resistance.
The WHO FPPL list is divided into three categories: critical, high and medium priority based on the pathogen’s public health impact as well as emerging antifungal resistance risk.

Way Forward

There is a need to improve global coordination in addressing fungal diseases, update infection, prevention and control measures and training public health professionals to appropriately treat fungal diseases.
It is important to strengthen laboratory capacity and surveillance of diseases.
It is essential to promote sustainable investments in research, development, and innovation to counter the risk of rising fungal infections.

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