WEBBOARD: Climate change is significantly changing the distribution and characteristics of pathogenic fungi. This has led to an alarming increase in fungal diseases worldwide.
Researchers warn that these dangerous and adaptable microorganisms pose a growing threat to public health. However, many people are still unaware and governments around the world are not doing enough.
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A study led by Justin Remais, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, shifted the focus from examining schistosomiasis to investigating cocciodioides immitis, the fungus associated with Valley fever.
The researcher explains that “limited surveillance has hindered our understanding of exposure levels and risk factors, but emerging evidence suggests that climate change is playing a significant role.” important”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also acknowledged the seriousness of this problem. It has published a list of priority fungal pathogens in 2022 calling for improved policies and research in the region.
Remais and his team are conducting a major study on the environmental epidemiology of fungal diseases, including Valley fever.
The focus of the research is on climate sensitivity and the social inequities that may exacerbate health disparities.
Projections indicate that Valley fever cases could increase significantly by 2100 as the geographic range and incidence of the fungal disease increase.
The adaptation of some fungi to survive in warmer temperatures makes the problem worse because it makes them a potential health threat.
One such fungus, Candida auris, has rapidly shown resistance to certain drugs, and the fact that it appears on multiple continents suggests a pattern linked to climate change.
Extreme weather events such as tornadoes and hurricanes can also increase exposure to pathogenic fungi, leading to outbreaks of rare fungal infections.
Research shows that social determinants of health, including living conditions and access to appropriate medical facilities, play a huge role in ethnic disparities in the risk of fungal infections. invade.
The interactions between climate change, environmental disturbances and the growing threat of fungal diseases to human health are complex and require comprehensive strategies to address emerging threats.
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Scientists are calling for improved surveillance, access to protective measures, and transdisciplinary approaches that would bring together epidemiologists, epidemiologists, and environmental microbiologists to effectively predict and/or treat the spread of these deadly fungal infections.