Fungi, which cause fungal infections, are considered a major threat to public health, especially in patients with already weakened immune systems.
- A fungal infection is a pathology caused by a fungus.
- In 2022, the WHO warned of the resistance of fungal pathogens to antifungal treatments.
- Fungal infections are especially dangerous for patients whose immune systems are already weakened.
Nearly 1.6 million deaths worldwide are due to fungal infections, conditions caused by fungi, according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). For the World Health Organization (WHO)fungal infections remain underestimated worldwide even though they are becoming increasingly problematic, particularly due to their resistance to treatment. “Fungal pathogens pose a major threat to public health,” alerted the organization in a report published in October 2022.
19 mushrooms classified as “major threats to public health”
In its report, the WHO compiled the first list of priority fungal pathogens. Nearly 19 mushrooms have been classified as “major threats to public health“. Three species have particularly attracted the attention of the organization: Cryptococcus neoformans, which can lead to meningitis, Candida auris, which can induce infections in different organs, and Aspergillus fumigatus, which can be responsible for pulmonary diseases. “This list aims to guide and stimulate research and policy interventions to strengthen the global response to fungal infections and antifungal resistance”we can read in the document.
Less known than viruses or bacteria, fungi reproduce by spreading microscopic spores, which can be present in the soil and air. These microorganisms can cause superficial infections, but they can also induce more severe infections, which spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.
Fungal infections: serious risks for immunocompromised patients
Oral thrush, vaginal or skin yeast infections are benign fungal infections that are generally easy to treat. In healthy people, fungi rarely have serious consequences, but this is not the case in fragile populations with an already weakened immune system such as patients affected by cancer, HIV, chronic respiratory disease or those with experienced an organ transplant.
Global warming and increased international travel and trade could, in part, explain the spread of fungal infections around the world. As for the resistance of pathogens to antifungals, it is partly due to their inappropriate use. “We use antifungals to treat patients, but also in the fields to prevent certain fungi from attacking crops (…) Certain fungi such as Aspergillus become resistant to antifungals and it turns out to be more complicated to treat patients who become contaminated with it”, explained Sarah Dellière, mycologist at Saint-Louis hospital (Paris) and researcher at the Pasteur Institute, South West.
