Some researchers are sounding the alarm about a potentially deadly fungus that could spread throughout parts of the US, Europe and Asia.
The study article, published in pre-print (not yet peer-reviewed) in Research Square, asserts that “rising global temperatures” might cause severe infections of Aspergillus, a fungal mold that proliferates in warm, damp climates.
The resulting infection — called Aspergillosis — can impact humans, livestock and plants, the researchers wrote.
In the study, scientific models were used to predict where Aspergillus is expected to increase based on different climate scenarios.
The researchers forecast that the prevalence of the fungus could rise by 77% by the year 2100, possibly exposing millions of individuals in Europe to the infection.
Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, was not involved in the research but reviewed the findings.
“The study suggests that some global climate change scenarios will cause shifts in habitat ranges for certain lung and systemic fungal infections,” he told Fox News Digital.
Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at Columbia University in New York, agreed that the study highlights concerns if Aspergillus becomes more prevalent in warmer climates.
“We do know that there are increased cases in regions of the world that are more temperate,” Vyas, who was not part of the study, told Fox News Digital.
Cornelius Clancy, MD, associate chief of the VA Pittsburgh Health System and opportunistic pathogens at the University of Pittsburgh, said he has seen an increase in fungal infections in humans, as well as fungal diseases in agriculture, horticulture and veterinary medicine.
“Given that Aspergillus is prevalent in the environment and ongoing changes in climate favor growth of Aspergillus in the environment, it is likely that levels of human exposure will continue to increase, as will diseases of plants, crops and animals,” he predicted to Fox News Digital.
Potential risks of infection
For most healthy people, Aspergillus spores won’t cause any adverse effects, the experts noted.
“Most people will typically inhale some spores every day,” Clancy said. “If your immune system is intact, then these spores are usually removed by immune system cells in the airways and lungs and disease does not occur.”
But for people whose immune systems respond excessively to proteins in the spores, infection can cause reactions ranging from allergy-like symptoms to invasive disease.
“In persons who are immunosuppressed, such as those receiving cancer chemotherapy, there is a risk of spores invading the lungs and causing Aspergillus pneumonia or other lung infections, which can then spread in the blood to other organs,” Clancy cautioned.
“These are potentially very serious infections in immunosuppressed hosts.”
Allergic reactions and asthma exacerbations can also occur in people who are not known to be immunosuppressed, but who are predisposed to allergies and asthma, he added.
“In patients whose immune system may be compromised — most commonly as a result of medications for cancer or other conditions — these organisms can invade the lung to cause significant pneumonia, and may even travel throughout the body to cause systemic disease,” Vyas cautioned.
“These patients are typically quite sick and require hospitalization.”
People who are elderly or have asthma are also at a higher risk, noted Glanville.
“Unfortunately, there is also a global trend toward increases in rates of asthma and general demographic shifts toward a more elderly population in many areas,” he added.
“As clinicians, we worry about this infection because it is both hard to diagnose and even harder to treat,” Vyas told Fox News Digital. “We don’t have great drugs to effect cures for invasive fungal infections, including Aspergillus infections.”
Another obstacle is that some fungi become resistant to drugs over time, the experts agreed.
Prevention and protection
As Aspergillus is an environmental organism associated with soil, it is difficult to fully avoid, according to Vyas.
Those who are immunocompromised should avoid working with soil unless they have had a discussion with a doctor, he recommends.
“Research into how Aspergillus causes diseases, better ways to diagnose this disease and the development of better treatments is sorely needed,” Vyas added.
Glanville reiterated that there are anti-fungal treatment options for Aspergillosis, although the infections are often missed during initial diagnosis.
“It would be a good idea to increase medical training to recognize these infections and to subsidize the development of new antifungals,” Glanville recommended.
People who are known to be immunosuppressed or who are taking drugs that can cause immunosuppression should talk to their health providers about protective measures, Clancy advised.
