While a fictionalised strain of the cordyceps fungus may have captivated audiences in The Last of Us, scientists are now raising the alarm about a rise in deadly fungal infections across Europe. 🧫
Aspergillus flavus is a type of fungus found in soil and crops that releases millions of airborne spores that people can unknowingly inhale.
A killer fungus hides in plain sight
For most healthy people, the infection poses little threat.
However, it can be life-threatening for those with weakened immune systems due to transplants, cancer, COVID-19, or particularly severe cases of the flu.
“About 800,000 to 1 million people die every year,” Norman van Rhijn, Dutch molecular genetics expert, tells RTL Nieuws.
Concerning death toll aside, what makes this infection especially dangerous is its ability to masquerade as something far less deadly, with the symptoms of flavus easily mistaken for common ailments.
These symptoms can be as mundane as coughing, fever, breathing problems, and general feelings of malaise.
Their ability to slip under the radar often leads to delayed diagnoses of fungal infections, increasing the risk of severe outcomes.
Worse, it’s drug-resistant
As deadly fungi like the flavus thrive in warm soil and crops, rising global temperatures are now creating the perfect environment for them to spread.
Researchers predict that rising temperatures will cause an explosion in the number of fungal infections over the next 15 years, with 9 million patients in Europe alone.
But surely the fungus can be beaten by modern medicine? 🤔
Helaas, van Rhijn points out that some variants are drug-resistant, which potentially pushes mortality rates up by 60-80%.
At present, around 40% of people who are infected face fatal results.
In response to the threat, experts are calling for greater awareness and readiness in public health systems and among individuals at risk.
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