Fungal infection mortality underestimated, research warns

Research from the University of Aberdeen has found that although fungal infections kill more people than malaria or breast cancer, the affliction is not considered a priority.

The study highlighted that despite a ‘pressing need’ for more treatments there were still no vaccines.

There are currently more than five million types of fungi, but only three major groups which cause the majority of deaths in people. These include: Aspergillus - which affects the lungs; Cryptococcus - which mainly attacks the brain; and Candida - which infects mucosal membranes including in the mouth and genitals.

Professor Neil Gow, author of the report, commented: "Most people know about mild fungal infections, but nobody's ever died from athlete's foot.

"However, a million people die a year from fungal infections and we need to understand these different types of infection and how to deal with them. It's an under-appreciated problem and it's a very serious challenge in the parts of the world least equipped to deal with it.

The news comes as doctors in England have raised concerns about a new strain of fungi causing outbreaks in hospitals. Candida auris has caused an outbreak affecting 40 patients in one hospital in south-east England.

Public Health England said: "Candida auris appears to be unlike other pathogenic yeast species in its propensity for transmission between hospital patients. It is also resistant to the first choice anti-fungal drug.

Dr Berit Muller-Pebody, from Public Health England, said: "This species of Candida is emerging globally. We are monitoring it, but as it's an emerging pathogen it is very difficult to talk about trends.

"We needed to make the healthcare community aware of it as [doctors] now need to identify the species of Candida that require a more proactive approach."