Climate change fuels spread of dangerous Aspergillus fungus

(NewsNation) — A warming climate and the use of fungicides are fueling the spread of a dangerous fungus that can eat you from the inside out, a new study finds.

Fungus makes up an essential part of the ecosystem, and people breathe in countless spores every day, most of them harmless.

But a small group of dangerous molds can cause harm to humans, devastate crops and wreak havoc on ecosystems.

Warming temperatures, a growing population of people vulnerable to infection and the widespread use of fungicides are creating new opportunities for resistant fungi to spread, a new preprint study in Research Square found.

Researchers studied how three species of Aspergillus might spread through the rest of the century, including different climate change scenarios.

They found that a model that assumes humans continue to be dependent on fossil fuels could lead to the spread of Aspergillus throughout Europe, even as parts of Africa would become too hot for the fungus to survive.

Aspergillus lives in soil, grains and animal feathers. Many people can breathe in spores without becoming ill, but those with compromised immune systems can develop dangerous infections.

Fighting against the fungus includes the use of azole fungicides to protect crops and azole drugs to treat patients. But the combination of exposures can lead to Aspergillus becoming drug-resistant, making it harder to fight.

If A. flavus and A. fumigatus, two of the species studied, were to spread, it could put millions of people at risk for infection.

Hospitals already deal with Aspergillus outbreaks caused by renovations or dust storms, and patients recovering from other illnesses can develop stubborn cases.

Azole resistance has climbed, and resistant Aspergillus infections have mortality rates over 50 percent, partially driven by alternative treatments that can damage the kidney and liver.

Aspergillus also comes with economic consequences. One year of heavy Aspegillus growth can result in $1 billion or more in losses for the corn industry.

Increased heat and humidity due to climate change extend the window for mold to grow, causing farmers to take an economic risk and discard grain or blend batches to dilute toxins, which poses a health risk to consumers.

Fungi are less studied than bacteria and viruses, which also means that tracking and drug development lag behind.

The World Health Organization has responded by adding Aspergillus fungus and Candida species to its priority list in 2022.

Scientists say efforts to improve tracking, regulate fungicides, and invest in better diagnostics for fungal infections could help prevent them from becoming a new pandemic.

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