Deadly Fungus Hits USA: Texas, Georgia, And California Among Many States To Report An Outbreak

The United States of America has recorded a new fungal outbreak that has raised new concerns.

A deadly fungus that has the potential to rot human tissue from within is growing rapidly across the United States, with experts indicating a severity of the fungus with rising temperatures, the lack of drugs and the lack of knowledge in observing the symptoms and detection.

According to one of the sources, this type of airborne fungus, which is the Aspergillus fumigatus, is almost impossible to avoid and poses a greater risk for individuals who have a compromised immune system.

The Difficult-to-Detect Infection

The fungus that is known to cause the disease called aspergillosis is an intense lung infection that has the potential to lead to organ failure and even death, especially in patients who deal with pre-existing serious conditions like cancer, asthma, or HIV.

According to one of the news reports, the fungal disease is a huge problem as its spores are so tiny that they may end up breathing them without even noticing. Once it lands up inside the lungs, the fungus is known to exacerbate the health condition as it can potentially trigger severe chronic infections that can spread to various parts of the body, like the heart and the kidneys.

The fungal aspergillosis is deadly, but it still has not become a reportable disease in the United States, which signals that the infections, hospitalisations, and deaths are not being properly tracked by the authorities, which makes it difficult to completely identify the disease.

The Alarming Numbers

The health data regarding the fungal infection has reflected a serious concern that has shown that the aspergillosis hospitalisations in the US have risen by around 3% annually between 2000 and 2013. By 2014, nearly 15,000 hospital admissions were because of the virus.

The High Temperatures And The Increased Risk

The fungus is more prone to proliferate in areas that are warm, damp, with humid environments and any temperature above 120 F in compost piles is known to increase the rate of infection. One of the news sources has reported that the very high levels of exposure are being reported in areas like Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and California, which are states that record extreme hot, humid climates and have extensive farming activity.

Many of the urban centres that are high in population and livelihood, with a busy life, are also vulnerable to getting a high number of cases.

The Transfer Of Drug Resistance

What makes the situation even more extreme and concerning is the resistance to drugs, specifically the zole antifungal drugs, which are the widely used medicine to treat several human infections and are also known to be helpful in dealing with agriculture to protect crops.

Experts have stated that, according to one of the news outlets that this practice could be the driving force behind the environmental resistance, with fungal spores that are resistant to drugs jumping from soil to humans.

A study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found azole-resistant elements of Aspergillus fumigatus in the soil of many farms across the United States. The mixing of the fungal types may be the leading cause behind the escalation of the cases that are being reported of fungal infections.

What The World Health Organisation Is Saying

The World Health Organisation has termed Aspergillus fumigatus a “critical priority”, taking into account its high mortality rates and the rapidly growing threat of this less treatable infection.

The WHO is asking for global investment from countries around the world to invest in the production of the new antifungal drugs, and the mechanism to improve the scope of early diagnosis. Apart from this, the WHO is also seeking investments for the better quality of hospitals and effective training for healthcare professionals. The organisation has also been urging the pharmaceutical companies to include children while experimenting making drugs for the elimination of fungal diseases.

This fungal health condition is indeed a serious one as it is linked to the increased cases and deadly reports and to help the situation the doctors have asked the ones who have a poor immune systems to be careful and avoid gardening, soil, wear masks in the areas that are dusty and ensure clean the air quality is well maintained. The hospitals around the US are maintaining all the necessary protocols and ensuring the well-functioning of the health department.