New research featured in the Financial Times warns that rising global temperatures are accelerating the spread of deadly fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus and A. flavus, with potentially devastating consequences for human health. These pathogens, already responsible for millions of life-threatening infections annually, are projected to expand their geographical reach—potentially affecting up to 9 million more people in Europe alone by 2100 if fossil fuel emissions continue unabated.
The study, led by researchers including Dr Norman van Rhijn and Professor Elaine Bignell, highlights how fungal pathogens are uniquely suited to thrive in a warming world, aided by heat-adapted survival traits developed in compost and soil. A. flavus, which also produces cancer-causing aflatoxins, threatens both food security and public health.
The article underscores GAFFI’s core concerns: the urgent need for greater awareness, faster diagnosis, new antifungal treatments, and global investment in fungal infection research before the “tipping point” becomes irreversible.