Deadly fungus that can 'eat you from the inside out' is now in the U.S. and quickly spreading around the world

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float in and out without leaving a trace. Yet some belong molds that don’t respect boundaries.

Some fungus species will infect lungs, spoil crops, and disrupt ecosystems all at the same time. In short, they can wreak massive havoc and leave death in their wake.

Most molds and fungi are helpful, but some fungus and mold will jump from hospital wards to honeybee hives, and the line between helpful recycler and harmful invader grows blurrier each year.

Most of the time, healthy immune systems swat away dangerous spores and fight off infection. Trouble arises when weakened defenses, rising temperatures, and heavy fungicide use tip the scales.

Suddenly, the same fungus that quietly decomposes the fallen leaves in your yard can trigger relentless coughs, damage corn silos, and shrug off medicines that once kept it in check.

Aspergillus fungus easily adapts

After studying fungal threats for years, Dr. Norman van Rhijn and colleagues at The University of Manchester mapped how three notorious Aspergillus species – A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and A. niger – might spread through the end of the century.

They fed climate change scenarios into global models and watched the virtual spores drift. One scenario (SSP585), which assumes a fossil-fuel-dependent future, paints an unsettling picture: habitats across Europe become markedly friendlier to these pathogens.

Aspergillus fungus thrives because its genome bends easily to new pressures. It lives on soil, grains, animal feathers, even coral skeletons. Out in the wild, it recycles nutrients, but on farms and in clinics, the story shifts.

Farmers spray azole fungicides to protect wheat and peanuts; doctors use nearly identical azole drugs to save patients with lung infections. That overlap nudges Aspergillus toward drug resistance – similar to bacteria evolving against antibiotics.

Climate reshapes global mold map

Temperature, humidity, and extreme weather events dictate where spores settle.

“Changes in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread,” said Dr. van Rhijn.

“We’ve already seen the emergence of the fungus Candida auris due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information on how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.”

He added that fungi remain “relatively under-researched compared to viruses and parasites,” yet the new maps show they will likely reach “most areas of the world in the future.”

Those maps point to striking numbers. Under the high-emissions pathway, the range of A. flavus in Europe could jump about 16 percent, potentially putting another one million people at risk of infection.

A. fumigatus – the chief culprit behind invasive aspergillosis – could expand its European footprint by 77.5 percent, threatening up to nine million more residents.

In Africa, paradoxically, parts of the continent may become too hot for some fungi to survive, hinting at complex regional trade-offs.

Forecasting Aspergillus fungus spread

Forecasting pathogens decades ahead may sound speculative, but it builds on earlier warnings. Hospitals already grapple with Aspergillus fungus outbreaks after building renovations or severe dust storms.

Meanwhile, intensive-care units report stubborn cases in patients recovering from influenza or COVID-19.

Rising outdoor spore loads could translate to more hospital admissions and costlier treatments, especially because diagnostics for fungal infections lag far behind those for bacteria or viruses.

Mycotoxin contamination adds another layer. A single year of heavy Aspergillus growth can saddle the U.S. corn industry with losses topping $1 billion.

Increased heat and humidity extend the window for mold growth in silos and fields, forcing farmers to discard grain or blend batches to dilute toxins – strategies that still carry economic and health risks.

Current drugs don’t work

Azole resistance has climbed steadily in Europe and Asia. Patients with resistant Aspergillus fungus infections face mortality rates exceeding 50 percent, partly because alternative drugs can damage the kidneys or liver.

Each hectare treated with agricultural azoles raises the odds that environmental spores will carry resistance genes into hospitals.

Public-health agencies now track these genes in soil and compost piles, hoping to spot trouble before it reaches intensive care.

Fungicide demand is also changing. As some African regions exceed the thermal limits for certain molds, farmers elsewhere may spray more to protect lengthening growing seasons.

That feedback loop – more fungicide, stronger resistance – complicates food security and patient care alike.

Farms, food, and rising bills

Aspergillus isn’t the lone shapeshifter. Fusarium, which devastates wheat and oat fields, and Cryptococcus, an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients, also respond to warming climates.

“Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse,” explains Viv Goosens of Wellcome.

“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.”

Aspergillus fungus and human health

Fungi account for an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species, yet fewer than 10 percent carry official descriptions, and only a sliver have sequenced genomes.

The scarcity of basic data hinders vaccine development and slows the hunt for safer drug targets.

Recognizing this blind spot, the World Health Organization added Aspergillus fungus and Candida species to its priority list for emerging threats in 2022.

Researchers now call for coordinated monitoring – combining air quality sensors, agricultural sampling, and hospital surveillance – to trace spore movement in near-real time.

Such efforts could flag hotspots, guide fungicide regulations, and spark investment in rapid diagnostics. Without them, today’s manageable mold may evolve into tomorrow’s silent pandemic.

No single fix will erase the risk. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions limits the environmental changes that favor Aspergillus fungus.

Smarter fungicide policies slow resistance on farms. Better ventilation in buildings reduces indoor spore counts, while new antifungal classes extend doctors’ toolkits.

Piece by piece, these steps can keep an ancient decomposer from becoming an outsized menace in a warming world.

The full study was published in the journal Research Square.

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