Alarm Sounded: Experts Warn Lethal Fungus Poses “Existential Threat” to Humanity – International Edition (English)

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  EXPLORE FURTHER: Alarm raised regarding lethal fungus with specialists forecasting nine million fatalities.
  

Health authorities have raised concerns about a deadly fungus that represents a ‘significant danger to humanity’ and is proliferating in hospitals across the United Kingdom.

Candida auris (C. auris) has the ability to persist on hospital surfaces and human skin for extended periods and frequently displays resistance to antifungal medications and disinfectants.

However, if spores find their way into the body—either through injuries or via a needle during medical procedures—they can lead to severe and potentially fatal infections.

The infection may extend to the bloodstream, brain, spinal cord, bones, abdominal region, ears, respiratory tract, and urinary system, potentially leading to death.

It is extremely lethal that the
World Health Organisation
has recognized it among 19 deadly ones

fungi that present a ‘significant danger to humans’

Currently, a fresh warning has been issued by them.
UK Health Security Agency
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued warnings about an increase in fungal infection cases, such as Candida auris, with 2,247 reported instances last year.

In the past ten years, there have been 637 instances of C.auris; however, almost 200 of those occurred just last year.

Invasive fungal infections are believed to result in at least 2.5 million deaths worldwide annually.

As stated by Professor Andy Borman, Head of the Mycology Reference Laboratory at UKHSA, the surge could be attributed to an increase in individuals with compromised immune systems along with a higher number of people undergoing intricate surgical procedures.

“The increase in drug-resistant C. auris underscores our need to stay alert and safeguard patient safety,” he emphasized.

C. auris, primarily observed in medical facilities, was initially detected in 2009 in the ear of a patient from Japan. Since then, this fungus has spread to over 40 countries spanning six continents.

Although the majority of individuals do not fall ill after encountering the fungus—commonly present in healthcare settings, around radiators, window sills, basins, and medical devices like blood pressure monitors—infections become progressively harder to manage once established.

Individuals whose immune systems are compromised—including those who received medical treatment overseas in the past year, spent considerable time in hospitals, were admitted to intensive care units, or underwent therapy involving specific types of antibiotics—are considerably more vulnerable.

Individuals needing medical devices inserted into their bodies, like catheters, face a higher risk as well.

The fungus can be transmitted through contact with infected surfaces or directly from individuals carrying the fungus on their skin, even if these people do not have an active infection—a condition referred to as colonization.

Experts are notably worried that the fungus, reproducing much faster than humans can keep up with, is developing increased resistance to medications.

This indicates that the greater the exposure of these organisms to antifungal medications, the higher the likelihood of resistant strains—or so-called super-fungi—developing.

To address this danger, the regulatory body for health and safety has intensified monitoring efforts and designated C. auris as aNotifiable disease. This requires hospitals to report every case, aiding in the containment of potential outbreaks.

The authorities are encouraging medical practitioners to detect colonized or infected patients at an early stage, particularly those who have spent time in a health care institution abroad since last year, excluding the UK.

It has been recommended that disposable gear should be utilized whenever feasible—with the assurance that reusable items like blood pressure cuffs are thoroughly disinfected.

The UKHSA has likewise raised concerns about Candida albicans, Nakaseomyces glabratus, and Candida parapsilosis—fungi capable of entering the bloodstream and causing infections.

This warning comes after yet another deadly fungal infection affected millions of individuals earlier this month.

Aspergillus, which is a kind of fungus, can be found everywhere—floating in the air, present in soils, contained within foods, and residing in decomposing organic materials.

However, if spores infiltrate the lungs, the fungi may develop into growths as large as tennis balls, leading to significant respiratory problems known as aspergillosis.

The infection may subsequently affect the skin, brain, heart, or kidneys, leading to fatal consequences.

Scientists claim that an increase in worldwide temperatures is promoting the expansion and distribution of aspergillus throughout Europe, thereby heightening the danger of this lethal disease.

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