A silent pandemic is emerging that has nothing to do with superbugs

Crisis antibiotic-resistant bacteria It is usually called silent pandemicbecause it is brewing little by little and without noise, but it is already killing 5 million people per year. But this is not the only silent pandemic that exists. Antifungal-resistant fungi are just as serious, although they are not getting the attention they deserve.

Next September 26th, United Nations organizes a meeting in New York to examine the current situation regarding antimicrobial resistance. This is not only true for antibacterial drugs. Also against viruses, fungi or some parasites, such as protozoa. All of them develop high resistance to the drugs that fight them, but it seems that bacteria belong to the first class, and the rest to the second. Much effort is being made to inform the population about the risk of committing antibiotic abuse and at the same time, alternatives are being sought that can counteract superbugs. But what about fungus?

In recent years, many fungi resistant to antifungal drugs. The mechanism is the same. As they are exposed to this type of drug, those are selected that, through mutations, have managed to escape the mechanisms they use to fight it. Currently, about 3 million people die from these fungal infections every year. If nothing is done to prevent resistance, the figure could be even worse.

Medicines that are very difficult to obtain

Antifungal drugs pose a challenge for scientists They don’t offer antibiotics.. And although bacteria prokaryotes, mushrooms eukaryotes. This means that bacteria do not have their DNA enclosed in a nuclear membrane, but are scattered throughout the cell. Fungi, on the other hand, have a nucleus. Human cells are eukaryotic, so they are more similar to fungi than bacteria. But that is not the only common point. In general, there are many similarities that make it very difficult to attack fungal cells without damaging our own cells.

Thus, although there are more than 10 classes of antibiotics, There are only 4 antifungal drugs.If antibiotic resistance is gradually decreasing, it is not surprising that there are many fungi that are resistant to antifungal drugs.

The Most Dangerous Antifungal Resistant Mushrooms

In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) compiled a list of the most dangerous fungi, the identification and treatment of which must be strengthened. Among them, Aspergillus fumigatuswhich forms some types of mold and affects the respiratory tract, as well as floor Candida. They can cause all sorts of infections and can be fatal if they infect the brain or enter the bloodstream. Fungus was also on the list. Nakaseomyces glabratuswhat can affect the urogenital tract and Trichophyton indotineacausing a type of ringworm.

In fact, these mushrooms are really dangerous. people with weakened immune systems. They are usually not as serious in patients with strong immune systems. However, that does not make it any less alarming that they are becoming fungi that are resistant to antifungal drugs. In places like Intensive care units of hospitals or nursing homes They can cause real health crises. If the drugs stop working, the situation can be very serious.

The problem of fungicides in agriculture

Fungi affect not only humans. Also they form pests This can lead to the destruction of large areas of crops. For this reason, farmers often use antifungal agents, sometimes even more than recommended. This can cause cross reactions with fungi that infect people and with antifungal drugs that kill them. That is, just as fungi adapt to drugs aimed at them, they can also adapt to a plant-based antifungal agent whose mechanism of action is similar.

What can be done against fungi that are resistant to antifungal drugs?

On the occasion of the next UN assembly, a group of scientists addressed a letter to the journal. Lancet call for antifungal-resistant fungi to be given the same attention as superbugs. The same goes for other microbial pathogens.

Returning to the topic of fungi resistant to antifungal drugs, these scientists believe it is essential that global agreement that the agri-food industry commits to using antifungal agents in consultation with the health sector. Such dangerous cross-reactions must be avoided. In addition, major health authorities are asking for fungi to be given the same attention as bacteria.

And no matter how much we look the other way, the problem of fungi resistant to antifungals will not go away. It will be much better to fight it as soon as possible.