The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies
Anthropogenic climate change, primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions, is reshaping ecosystems and creating conditions that affect 58% of all known human infectious diseases, including fungal infections. Specifically, increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20499361251313841 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1825197129417621504 |
|---|---|
| author | Mary E. George Tonisha T. Gaitor David B. Cluck Andrés F. Henao-Martínez Nicholas R. Sells Daniel B. Chastain |
| author_facet | Mary E. George Tonisha T. Gaitor David B. Cluck Andrés F. Henao-Martínez Nicholas R. Sells Daniel B. Chastain |
| author_sort | Mary E. George |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anthropogenic climate change, primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions, is reshaping ecosystems and creating conditions that affect 58% of all known human infectious diseases, including fungal infections. Specifically, increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events are influencing fungal growth, distribution, and virulence. These factors may expand the geographic range of pathogenic fungi, exposing populations to novel, potentially more virulent, or drug-resistant strains. Simultaneously, human factors such as declining immunity, aging populations, and increased use of immunosuppressive therapies are enhancing host susceptibility. This review explores the intricate relationship between climate change and fungal infections, highlighting pathogens that may demonstrate increased virulence and antifungal resistance, along with emerging novel pathogens. The clinical implications are profound, with increased morbidity, mortality, and the spread of fungal infections into new regions. Immediate action is required to develop policies, educational initiatives, and novel antifungal therapies, enhance early diagnostic capabilities, and address healthcare disparities to mitigate the growing burden of fungal infections. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e0f8d5bb9cd34f8c8dc6b1e16e510127 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2049-937X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj-art-e0f8d5bb9cd34f8c8dc6b1e16e5101272025-02-11T20:03:21ZengSAGE PublishingTherapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease2049-937X2025-02-011210.1177/20499361251313841The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategiesMary E. GeorgeTonisha T. GaitorDavid B. CluckAndrés F. Henao-MartínezNicholas R. SellsDaniel B. ChastainAnthropogenic climate change, primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions, is reshaping ecosystems and creating conditions that affect 58% of all known human infectious diseases, including fungal infections. Specifically, increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events are influencing fungal growth, distribution, and virulence. These factors may expand the geographic range of pathogenic fungi, exposing populations to novel, potentially more virulent, or drug-resistant strains. Simultaneously, human factors such as declining immunity, aging populations, and increased use of immunosuppressive therapies are enhancing host susceptibility. This review explores the intricate relationship between climate change and fungal infections, highlighting pathogens that may demonstrate increased virulence and antifungal resistance, along with emerging novel pathogens. The clinical implications are profound, with increased morbidity, mortality, and the spread of fungal infections into new regions. Immediate action is required to develop policies, educational initiatives, and novel antifungal therapies, enhance early diagnostic capabilities, and address healthcare disparities to mitigate the growing burden of fungal infections.https://doi.org/10.1177/20499361251313841 |
| spellingShingle | Mary E. George Tonisha T. Gaitor David B. Cluck Andrés F. Henao-Martínez Nicholas R. Sells Daniel B. Chastain The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease |
| title | The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies |
| title_full | The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies |
| title_fullStr | The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies |
| title_short | The impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections: implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public health strategies |
| title_sort | impact of climate change on the epidemiology of fungal infections implications for diagnosis treatment and public health strategies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20499361251313841 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maryegeorge theimpactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT tonishatgaitor theimpactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT davidbcluck theimpactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT andresfhenaomartinez theimpactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT nicholasrsells theimpactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT danielbchastain theimpactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT maryegeorge impactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT tonishatgaitor impactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT davidbcluck impactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT andresfhenaomartinez impactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT nicholasrsells impactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies AT danielbchastain impactofclimatechangeontheepidemiologyoffungalinfectionsimplicationsfordiagnosistreatmentandpublichealthstrategies |