Latest news with #NormanVanRhijn
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Inside 'killer fungus' plague that could cause millions of agonising deaths
Invasive fungal infections, including aspergillosis - caused by the common Aspergillus fungus - are responsible for at least 2.5 million deaths worldwide every year Rising global temperatures are accelerating the spread of Aspergillus - a common fungus that now poses an increasing threat to human health, researchers have warned. Aspergillus, a type of mould found widely in air, soil, decaying matter, and even food, typically goes unnoticed. However, when its spores are inhaled, particularly by individuals with weakened immune systems, they can lead to a severe infection called aspergillosis. In some cases, the fungus can grow into large masses in the lungs - comparable in size to tennis balls - causing serious breathing difficulties and potentially spreading to the skin, brain, heart, or kidneys. Next comes bleeding, with fever, shortness of breath and skin lesions. The infection can be fatal. Scientists are now linking the rising prevalence of aspergillosis to climate change. Warmer conditions are encouraging the growth and geographic spread of the fungus across Europe and beyond. According to experts, invasive fungal infections, including aspergillosis, are already responsible for at least 2.5 million deaths worldwide each year. Professor Norman Van Rhijn from the University of Manchester told the Financial Times that the world is approaching a "tipping point" in the spread of fungal pathogens. "We're talking about hundreds of thousands of lives and continental shifts in species distributions," he said. "In 50 years, the organisms that grow - and those that infect us - will be completely different." One of the most concerning species is Aspergillus fumigatus, which is already present in the UK. New research suggests it could spread further into northern Europe, Asia, and the Americas, potentially reaching the Arctic within the next 75 years and putting an additional nine million people at risk. The species thrives in warm compost, which may have helped it adapt to human body temperatures around 37°C. Another species highlighted in the study is Aspergillus flavus, known for producing aflatoxins - dangerous chemicals linked to cancer and severe liver damage. Rising CO₂ levels and higher temperatures are believed to be accelerating the production of these toxins, raising concerns for both human health and food safety. Professor Darius Armstrong-James of Imperial College London emphasised the dual threat, saying: 'There are serious dangers from this organism in terms of both health and food security.' There could also be an immense environmental impact. The spread of fungal pathogens could destabilise ecosystems in regions like Brazil and parts of Africa by wiping out native fungi essential to biodiversity. Meanwhile, treatment for fungal infections is becoming increasingly difficult due to rising resistance. The overuse of antifungal drugs in both medicine and agriculture has led to the evolution of stronger, drug-resistant strains commonly referred to as "super-fungi." Because fungi reproduce and mutate quickly, repeated exposure to antifungal agents - especially azoles - drives rapid resistance. Agricultural practices also contribute to the problem. Many of the same antifungal agents used in medicine are also applied to crops. When fungi in the soil are exposed to these treatments, it increases the likelihood of resistant strains developing. READ MORE: Mystery deadly virus spreading quietly is more dangerous than thought - and there's no vaccine Viv Goossens, research manager at Wellcome, warned that climate change will only intensify these challenges. 'Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to both human health and food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse. We need more research and better tools to track and prepare for these threats.' Despite the mounting danger, fungal infections remain one of the most underfunded areas in infectious disease research. Fewer than 10% of the estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million fungal species have been identified. In response, the Wellcome Trust is pledging over £50 million to support fungal research over the next year. The urgency of the issue was highlighted by a 2021 outbreak of A. fumigatus among COVID-19 patients in intensive care units. The fungus infected already weakened lungs, with mortality rates reaching 70%. Earlier this year, 32-year-old Matthew Langsworth from Leamington Spa was hospitalised with a life-threatening blood infection after living in a mould-infested home where fungal spores had been concealed with paint. Cases like his highlight the serious health risks associated with living in damp or mouldy environments. Household mould, a form of microscopic fungus, releases thousands of toxic particles into the air. Prolonged exposure can lead to respiratory issues, including asthma, allergies, and infections like aspergillosis. Warning signs include persistent coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and worsening symptoms in people with pre-existing lung conditions.
Sky News
06-05-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Killer fungus forecast to spread to UK as climate changes
A killer fungus that infects millions of people a year in hotter climes may soon spread through Europe and into the UK as the world warms further, according to a new study on how climate change spreads disease. The aspergillus species - which can cause deadly human brain infections, spoil livestock and render crops unsafe to eat - is forecast to spread northwards from Africa and South America into Europe and Asia. How far it spreads will depend on how quickly the world phases out fossil fuels and other drivers of climate change, the paper said, while slow action will put more people at risk. Global warming is also raising the risk of the spread of other diseases, such as those spread by mosquitoes like malaria and dengue. Fungi are a growing concern but largely unexplored. They live in the air, soil and inside our bodies and spread through spores in the air we breathe - but more than 90% are estimated still to be unknown to science. Lead author of the new research, Norman van Rhijn from Manchester University, told Sky News they are "extremely difficult" to treat. Few antifungal medicines exist, while the fungi themselves are increasingly drug-resistant and hard to spot and diagnose. Fungi are also essential to a healthy ecosystem, decomposing organic matter and helping to suck up climate-heating carbon dioxide. 1:55 'Scary' reality Viewers of the TV show The Last of Us will be familiar with the threat: the post-apocalyptic drama depicts a brain-altering fungus that has wiped out much of society. But "reality is already scary enough", Dr Van Rhijn told Sky News presenter Leah Boleto. Infections from all fungi already cause 2.5 million deaths globally each year. Healthy immune systems kick out the spores, but vulnerable people can end up contracting infections like invasive aspergillosis, which spreads rapidly from the lungs to other parts of the body like the brain, and currently kills 1.8m people a year globally. "Most fungi live in the environment," said Dr Van Rhijn. "Because that environment is rapidly changing, we will definitely see different kinds of diseases and infections popping up over the next 50 years or so." The scientists looked at the existing habitats suitable for certain types of fungi to grow. They then mapped how those habitats might move or spread under different rates of global warming. In a worst-case scenario, the spread of Aspergillus flavus could increase by about 16%, putting 1 million more people at risk of infection in Europe, damaging the respiratory system, as well as various crops. It is highly virulent, causes severe infections and is resistant to many antifungals available. And another in the same family, Aspergillus fumigatus, could spread by a further 77%, potentially exposing nine million people in Europe, the research suggested. However, it also found temperatures in Africa could become so high that some fungi would no longer be able to survive on the continent. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed, but is backed by the renowned health institution the Wellcome Trust, which funded the research.
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Warning over killer fungus which could infect millions as it spreads across Europe
A killer fungus is set to spread through new parts of Europe due to rising temperatures, according to new climate change research. Aspergillus, a type of mould which can cause lung and breathing problems if it infects a human, may infect millions of people a year as it spreads to more northerly countries in Europe, Asia and America due to rising temperatures, the study shows. Norman van Rhijn, the Wellcome Trust research fellow at Manchester University who co-authored the study, said the world is nearing a tipping point regarding the rise of fungal pathogens, which thrive in a large variety of environments including inside houses. Fungal infections will be a factor in millions of deaths worldwide each year, Mr Rhijn said. Aspergillosis, the lung disease caused by spores of Aspergillus which can spread to other human organs, is one such disease. Speaking to the FT, Mr Van Rhijn said: 'We're talking about hundreds of thousands of lives, and continental shifts in species distributions. In 50 years, where things grow and what you get infected by is going to be completely different.' Aspergillus can have positive benefits and is used in industrial and food production, including the fermentation of soy sauce and sake. Inhaling its spores does not make everyone ill, but the deadly fungus can be particularly threatening to those with conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis or a weakened immune system. But fungal research shows Aspergillus fumigatus could spread across an additional 77 per cent of territory by the year 2100 as a result of the world's heavy use of fossil fuels, potentially exposing nine million people in Europe to the infection, according to the FT. The species can grow quickly in high temperatures in compost, explaining why it thrives in the 37C internal temperature of the human body. 'Its lifestyle in the natural environment may have provided Aspergillus fumigatus with the fitness advantage needed to colonise human lungs,' said professor Elaine Bignell, co-director at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at Exeter University. Another species, aspergillus flavus, lives on crops and could spread to an added 16 per cent of territory in north China, Russia, Scandinavia, and Alaska by 2100, researchers added. Some existing areas in African countries and Brazil may also be made inhospitable - which could be damaging to local ecosystems. Darius Armstrong-James, professor of infectious diseases and medical mycology at Imperial College London, told the FT: 'There are serious threats from this organism both in terms of human health and food security.'
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning over lethal 'super fungus' as expert predict it could kill NINE MILLION
Climate change is driving the spread of a killer fungus that infects millions of people a year as temperatures continue to rise, experts have warned. Aspergillus, a type of mould, is all around us—in the air, soil, food and in decaying organic matter. But if spores enter the lungs, the fungi can grow into a lumps the size of tennis balls, causing severe breathing issues—a condition called aspergillosis. The infection can then spread to the skin, brain, heart or kidneys, and kill. Researchers say a rise in global temperatures is fueling the growth and spread of aspergillus across Europe, increasing the risk of the deadly illness. Invasive fungal infections such as aspergillosis are already estimated to cause at least 2.5 million deaths globally each year. University of Manchester experts Professor Norman Van Rhijn, co-author of the study, told the Financial Times that the world is nearing a 'tipping point' in the spread of fungal pathogens. He added: 'We're talking about hundreds of thousands of lives, and continental shifts in species distributions. 'In 50 years, the things that grow—and the things that infect us—will be completely different.' While most people don't get sick from inhaling aspergillus spores, infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat once they take hold. People with weakened immune systems—due to conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis or diabetes, or as a result of treatments like chemotherapy—are at significantly higher risk. New research suggests that Aspergillus fumigatus, already present in the UK, could spread across large parts of northern Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Within the next 75 years, it could even reach as far as the North Pole, potentially exposing an additional nine million people to infection. This species thrives in warm compost—an environment that may have helped it adapt to the human body's internal temperature of around 37°C. Another species featured in the study, Aspergillus flavus, is also cause for concern. Also linked to rising global temperatures, it produces aflatoxins—chemicals associated with cancer and severe liver damage. Scientists believe higher temperatures and CO₂ levels are accelerating the production of these dangerous toxins. Darius James, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, told the FT: 'There are serious threats from this organism both in terms of human health and food security.' According to the study, the spread of the fugus could eventually wipe out existing habitats in African countries and Brazil, disrupting eco systems that are vital to life. Recent data also suggests that the pathogen could become resistant to treatment. This is due primarily to the overuse of anti-fungal drugs in medicine and agriculture, which has encouraged more toxic strains of the fungus to evolve that are resistant to high doses of the drugs, known as azoles. Fungi also reproduces and evolves far quicker than humans. This means, the more these organisms come into contact with antifungal drugs, the more likely it is that resistant strains—or super-fungi—will emerge. Another trigger is the use of human antifungal treatments to protect crops and plants from fungal diseases. Many of the fungi which infect humans also live in soil, which, when they come into contact with such chemicals, provides further opportunity for the creation of these super-fungi. Viv Goosesns, research manager at Wellcome, said climate change will only make these risks worse, resulting in more infections in healthy people. She said: 'Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. 'Climate change will make these risks worse. To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. 'By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future.' Despite this urgent appeal, fungal infection research and treatment is alarmingly underfunded. According to the study, fewer than 10 per cent of an estimated 1.5 to 3.8million species have been identified. Wellcome Trust is dedicating over £50million in funding towards fungal research over the next year. This new research comes following an outbreak of A. fumigatus in 2021 which infected the weakened lungs of Covid patients in intensive care, killing up to 70 per cent of those affected. Earlier this year, Matthew Langsworth, 32, from Leamington Spa was hospitalised by a life-threatening blood infection caused by invasive aspergillus, after living in a fungus-infected property where spores were covered up with paint. Living in mouldy properties is known to cause a range of health problems including respiratory infections like aspergillus, asthma and allergies. Mould — a microscopic fungus — causes these conditions by releasing thousands of microscopic toxic particles into the atmosphere. Signs that you may be affected by household mould include a prolonged cough, wheeze or feeling short of breath. Other symptoms include worsening of asthma and other respiratory conditions or those that involve the inflammation of the airways.
