Drug-Resistant Fungi a Growing Threat, WHO Says

The World Health Organization (WHO) has named fungi a growing threat to public health as certain strains are becoming more widespread and increasingly drug resistant.

Only four classes of antifungal drugs are currently available with few candidates being developed, WHO noted.

Populations at risk of developing invasive forms of fungal infections include severely ill patients with underlying health conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, organ transplants and chronic respiratory infections.

WHO has created a fungal priority pathogens list that includes 19 fungi in three categories — critical, high and medium priority. Fungi in the critical category include Candida auris and Aspergillus fumigatus.