Latest news with #Candidaauris
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
California scientists sound alarm on role of pesticides in raising resistance to antifungal drugs
The proliferation of new fungicides in the U.S. agricultural sector may be raising resistance to critical antifungal medications in humans and animals, infectious disease experts are warning. Although antifungal pesticides have become vital to combatting the spread of crop disease, the ongoing development of new such fungicides may be leaving people more vulnerable to severe infections, according to new commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 'Antimicrobial resistant pathogens are a constant reminder for us to use agents judiciously,' lead author George Thompson, a professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, said in a statement. 'We have learned that the widespread use of antibiotics for livestock resulted in the rapid development of resistance to antibacterials,' Thompson continued. 'We have similar concerns regarding the use of antifungals in the environment.' In the past few decades, fungi that cause severe infections in humans — such as the difficult-to-treat Candida auris — have undergone a rapid increase, the scientists noted. Yet because there are relatively few antifungals available to eradicate such microbes from the body, Thompson stressed that 'preventing resistance is of paramount importance.' In the U.S. today, the researchers found that there are about 75,000 hospitalizations and 9 million outpatient visits linked to fungal diseases every year, with direct annual costs amount to $6.7 billion to $7.5 billion. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that fungi cause between 10 percent to 20 percent of crop loss, at a cost of $100 billion to $200 billion annually, according to the report. However, scientists have now become increasingly aware that antifungal pesticides and antifungal drugs share some of the same mechanisms. The authors therefore warned that the promulgation of these chemicals 'may select for resistant fungi in the environment, which can then endanger human health.' The development of antifungal medications, meanwhile, is a difficult task due to the metabolic similarities shared by human and fungal cells, as well as the surge in antifungal resistance, the authors explained. Tackling this problem, they contended, requires what's known as a 'One Health' approach — a state that recognizes how human, animal and environmental health are all related. As scientists research future solutions, having representatives from each of these sectors in the room will be increasingly critical, the commentary argued. Shared decision-making among national and global regulators, the researchers added, would both be cost-effective and would help avoid the 'riskier prospects of the rapid spread of resistant pathogens.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
14 hours ago
- Health
- The Hill
California scientists sound alarm on role of pesticides in raising resistance to antifungal drugs
The proliferation of new fungicides in the U.S. agricultural sector may be raising resistance to critical antifungal medications in humans and animals, infectious disease experts are warning. Although antifungal pesticides have become vital to combatting the spread of crop disease, the ongoing development of new such fungicides may be leaving people more vulnerable to severe infections, according to new commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 'Antimicrobial resistant pathogens are a constant reminder for us to use agents judiciously,' lead author George Thompson, a professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, said in a statement. 'We have learned that the widespread use of antibiotics for livestock resulted in the rapid development of resistance to antibacterials,' Thompson continued. 'We have similar concerns regarding the use of antifungals in the environment.' In the past few decades, fungi that cause severe infections in humans — such as the difficult-to-treat Candida auris — have undergone a rapid increase, the scientists noted. Yet because there are relatively few antifungals available to eradicate such microbes from the body, Thompson stressed that 'preventing resistance is of paramount importance.' In the U.S. today, the researchers found that there are about 75,000 hospitalizations and 9 million outpatient visits linked to fungal diseases every year, with direct annual costs amount to $6.7 billion to $7.5 billion. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that fungi cause between 10 percent to 20 percent of crop loss, at a cost of $100 billion to $200 billion annually, according to the report. However, scientists have now become increasingly aware that antifungal pesticides and antifungal drugs share some of the same mechanisms. The authors therefore warned that the promulgation of these chemicals 'may select for resistant fungi in the environment, which can then endanger human health.' The development of antifungal medications, meanwhile, is a difficult task due to the metabolic similarities shared by human and fungal cells, as well as the surge in antifungal resistance, the authors explained. Tackling this problem, they contended, requires what's known as a 'One Health' approach — a state that recognizes how human, animal and environmental health are all related. As scientists research future solutions, having representatives from each of these sectors in the room will be increasingly critical, the commentary argued. Shared decision-making among national and global regulators, the researchers added, would both be cost-effective and would help avoid the 'riskier prospects of the rapid spread of resistant pathogens.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Measles Is Now Showing Up in Wastewater
Credit - Getty Images Measles cases in the U.S. have been rare in recent decades, thanks to a strong childhood vaccination program. But a few cases inevitably pop up each year as travelers bring the virus in from other countries and infect unvaccinated people, primarily children. Those cases are no longer blips. Now that the measles vaccination rate is dropping precipitously across the U.S.—due in part to anti-vaccine sentiments—cases are rising. So far in 2025, 14 outbreaks have been reported in 33 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (By comparison, in 2024, there were just 16 outbreaks reported during the entire year.) Scientists may now have a new way to catch cases. For the first time, researchers have posted national information on where the measles virus is showing up in wastewater. Wastewater surveillance is a useful public-health tool because it provides an objective glimpse into where a given virus is causing infections—often before traditional testing methods. For viruses like measles, which infected people shed in urine, feces, or saliva, it can provide a critical heads-up for health officials. 'It gives us a finger-to-the-wind weather map of what is happening with infectious diseases,' says Dr. Marlene Wolf, assistant professor at Emory and principal investigator and co-program director of WastewaterSCAN, an academic and commercial group that includes researchers from Stanford University, Emory University, and Verily (which is Alphabet Inc.'s research organization). Here's what wastewater is revealing about measles in the U.S. WastewaterSCAN began testing sewage in the U.S. for the COVID-19 virus in 2020 and has since added other disease-causing microbes including influenza, RSV, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), norovirus, enterovirus, mpox, Candida auris, and hepatitis A. This spring, the scientists began developing a test for picking up signs of the active or "wild type" measles virus that is causing outbreaks in the U.S. The test uses samples from nearly 150 sewage sites across the country and can pick up signs of measles within 48 hours. Read More: What to Know About the New COVID-19 Variant NB.1.8.1 So far, they have detected it in three sites: one day in Hollywood, Md.; four days toward the end of May in Sacramento; and twice in mid-May in Stamford, Conn. WastewaterSCAN is only one such wastewater surveillance network in the country, though it's the first to test for measles on a national level. The CDC launched its National Wastewater Surveillance System in 2020 and includes more than 1,400 sites that cover 150 million Americans. Some state health departments—including in Texas, where the current measles outbreaks began—also test wastewater samples. WastewaterSCAN collaborates with the CDC, but the CDC does not yet test for measles in wastewater. Doctors who see patients with measles must report the case to the CDC so the agency can track it and respond to any outbreaks. But it takes time for people to develop symptoms, seek medical care, get tested, and then have their case reported if the test is positive. In addition, the first symptoms of measles are common ones like fever, runny nose, and cough—before the telltale rash appears. Plus, not everyone may get sick enough to know they have measles, so their cases may go unreported. Still others may get sick but not have access to health care and therefore never seek medical help. Read More: Measles Vaccination Rates Are Plummeting Across the U.S. Wastewater monitoring bypasses those hurdles and can theoretically catch evidence of the virus much earlier. That could be especially helpful with a highly contagious disease like measles, in which one infected person can quickly spread the virus to as many as 18 others. 'This is anonymous testing that combines everyone in a community,' says Wolfe. 'And for measles, it's likely that shedding [of the virus] into wastewater is happening before people necessarily recognize what they have.' This type of tracking for measles is too new to know yet whether it can detect cases in a region before people start testing positive, Wolfe says. But wastewater surveillance was able to pick up signs of the COVID-19 virus days or sometimes even weeks before cases began appearing in hospitals and testing labs. Over time, as more data are collected on measles, health experts can begin to look for trends and patterns, such as increases in the number of positive samples. That could help public-health departments focus resources like vaccines in areas where infections are spreading. If the number of positive samples start to decline, that information could also give them a heads up when infections are under control. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself against measles infection, and the immunization provides close to lifelong immunity. Making sure that anyone who is eligible is up to date on their measles vaccines can help them avoid infection. Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
7 days ago
- Health
- Time Magazine
Measles Is Now Showing Up in Wastewater
Measles cases in the U.S. have been rare in recent decades, thanks to a strong childhood vaccination program. But a few cases inevitably pop up each year as travelers bring the virus in from other countries and infect unvaccinated people, primarily children. Those cases are no longer blips. Now that the measles vaccination rate is dropping precipitously across the U.S.—due in part to anti-vaccine sentiments—cases are rising. So far in 2025, 14 outbreaks have been reported in 33 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (By comparison, in 2024, there were just 16 outbreaks reported during the entire year.) Scientists may now have a new way to catch cases. For the first time, researchers have posted national information on where the measles virus is showing up in wastewater. Wastewater surveillance is a useful public-health tool because it provides an objective glimpse into where a given virus is causing infections—often before traditional testing methods. For viruses like measles, which infected people shed in urine, feces, or saliva, it can provide a critical heads-up for health officials. 'It gives us a finger-to-the-wind weather map of what is happening with infectious diseases,' says Dr. Marlene Wolf, assistant professor at Emory and principal investigator and co-program director of WastewaterSCAN, an academic and commercial group that includes researchers from Stanford University, Emory University, and Verily (which is Alphabet Inc.'s research organization). Here's what wastewater is revealing about measles in the U.S. Adding measles to the menu of wastewater tests WastewaterSCAN began testing sewage in the U.S. for the COVID-19 virus in 2020 and has since added other disease-causing microbes including influenza, RSV, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), norovirus, enterovirus, mpox, Candida auris, and hepatitis A. This spring, the scientists began developing a test for picking up signs of the active or "wild type" measles virus that is causing outbreaks in the U.S. The test uses samples from nearly 150 sewage sites across the country and can pick up signs of measles within 48 hours. So far, they have detected it in three sites: one day in Hollywood, Md.; four days toward the end of May in Sacramento; and twice in mid-May in Stamford, Conn. WastewaterSCAN is only one such wastewater surveillance network in the country, though it's the first to test for measles on a national level. The CDC launched its National Wastewater Surveillance System in 2020 and includes more than 1,400 sites that cover 150 million Americans. Some state health departments—including in Texas, where the current measles outbreaks began—also test wastewater samples. WastewaterSCAN collaborates with the CDC, but the CDC does not yet test for measles in wastewater. Why wastewater monitoring may be especially useful for measles Doctors who see patients with measles must report the case to the CDC so the agency can track it and respond to any outbreaks. But it takes time for people to develop symptoms, seek medical care, get tested, and then have their case reported if the test is positive. In addition, the first symptoms of measles are common ones like fever, runny nose, and cough—before the telltale rash appears. Plus, not everyone may get sick enough to know they have measles, so their cases may go unreported. Still others may get sick but not have access to health care and therefore never seek medical help. Wastewater monitoring bypasses those hurdles and can theoretically catch evidence of the virus much earlier. That could be especially helpful with a highly contagious disease like measles, in which one infected person can quickly spread the virus to as many as 18 others. 'This is anonymous testing that combines everyone in a community,' says Wolfe. 'And for measles, it's likely that shedding [of the virus] into wastewater is happening before people necessarily recognize what they have.' How wastewater data can help health officials This type of tracking for measles is too new to know yet whether it can detect cases in a region before people start testing positive, Wolfe says. But wastewater surveillance was able to pick up signs of the COVID-19 virus days or sometimes even weeks before cases began appearing in hospitals and testing labs. Over time, as more data are collected on measles, health experts can begin to look for trends and patterns, such as increases in the number of positive samples. That could help public-health departments focus resources like vaccines in areas where infections are spreading. If the number of positive samples start to decline, that information could also give them a heads up when infections are under control. What to do if cases are detected near you Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself against measles infection, and the immunization provides close to lifelong immunity. Making sure that anyone who is eligible is up to date on their measles vaccines can help them avoid infection.
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Business Standard
28-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Climate change may fuel spread of fungi that could 'eat you from inside out'
As Covid-19 cases begin to rise again in parts of the world, including India, there's another silent but serious health threat emerging, this time from the fungal kingdom. The rising global temperatures could accelerate the fungi capable of eating you from inside out. A new climate modelling study by researchers at the University of Manchester shows that rising temperatures could dramatically alter the spread of Aspergillus, a group of airborne fungi known to cause severe respiratory infections in humans and widespread damage to crops. Published on the preprint platform Research Square, the study titled Climate change-driven geographical shifts in Aspergillus species habitat and the implications forplant and human health maps how the geographical range of three major Aspergillus species could expand significantly by year 2100, exposing millions more people to the risk of infection, especially across Europe and Asia. Why are Aspergillus fungi a growing concern? The Aspergillus genus includes several common environmental fungi found in soil, compost, and air. While generally harmless to healthy people, they can cause aspergillosis, a serious respiratory infection, in those with weakened immune systems. These fungi are also notorious for spoiling crops and producing dangerous mycotoxins. But here's the real problem — they're evolving. Rising global temperatures and widespread use of agricultural fungicides are helping these pathogens become more heat-tolerant and resistant to antifungal drugs, leaving doctors with fewer tools to treat infections. How rising temperatures increase fungal risks Using global climate models and species distribution tools, the University of Manchester team simulated how suitable habitats for Aspergillus fungi will shift under three scenarios, including low, intermediate, and high warming. Impact in a low warming scenario (below 2°C): Minimal changes in habitat range for Aspergillus species, and the spread is relatively contained. Impact in intermediate warming (2.5–3°C by 2100): Noticeable spread of fungal pathogens into new regions, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Impact in high warming (around 4°C by 2100): Significant and rapid expansion of Aspergillus habitats, particularly A. flavus and A. fumigatus, into Europe, North Asia, and North America, putting millions at increased risk. ALSO READ | Why scientists are especially alarmed by these findings Antifungal resistance: A. flavus, in particular, is already resistant to many existing treatments. Lack of medical tools: There are no vaccines, diagnostics are limited, and antifungal options are few. Dr Norman van Rhijn, lead author of the study, explains in a statement, 'We've already seen the emergence of Candida auris due to rising temperatures, but this is just the beginning. These maps show how fungal pathogens will likely impact most areas of the world in the future. Raising awareness and developing effective interventions is essential.' Fungi are shifting toward the Northern Hemisphere According to the study, the biggest changes will happen in the Northern Hemisphere. Europe and North Asia: Projected to see the largest increase in fungal suitability due to milder climates becoming warmer. Africa and South America: Paradoxically, these regions could become too hot for fungi like A. flavus to survive — threatening ecosystems that rely on fungi to decompose organic matter and regulate the carbon cycle. The study shows a striking poleward shift: fungi are moving north, where millions more people could be exposed. Climate change threatens food security via fungal spread The study highlights that A. flavus and A. niger are major crop pathogens, especially for maize, rice, and grapes. The research warns of: Reduced habitat suitability in current crop-growing zones Increased risk of contamination in new areas Food insecurity due to loss and spoilage of yields Antifungal resistance is also being driven by overuse of fungicides in agriculture, which compromises both plant and human health. Why fungal threats are difficult to fight Unlike bacteria, fungi are biologically closer to humans, meaning antifungal drugs often have toxic side effects. Plus, only a tiny fraction of the estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million fungal species have been studied, and less than 10 per cent have been sequenced genetically. How to prepare for a warming-driven fungal threat According to the study and public health experts: Accelerate climate action to limit warming and slow fungal spread Invest in fungal diagnostics, surveillance, and treatments Improve awareness among healthcare workers and the public Develop sustainable farming practices to reduce fungicide-driven resistance Fungi may not make daily headlines like viruses do, but they are quietly becoming one of the most dangerous climate-driven health threats of our time. As global warming accelerates their spread and evolution, ignoring them is no longer an option. For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS
