Fungi are a common occurrence in the human body, since, according to the National Cancer Institute, they are found in small quantities in the skin, throat, mouth and vagina. However, when they group together in large quantities, they develop infections with various symptoms and disorders depending on the microorganism.
In fact, since 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified fungi that “constitute a threat to health.” According to this organization, the microorganisms mentioned are divided into groups of medium, high and critical risk. In the case of those that are divided as “critical,” they are fungi called “fungal pathogens.”
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Fungal pathogens have become relevant for health and research institutions, since they are 38.5% more resistant to treatment and increasingly common. In fact, the WHO says that there are only four classes of drugs to combat them and that they have not reached clinical development for consumption.
The four most lethal and dangerous fungi for human health, according to this same source, “frequently affect seriously ill patients and people with significant immune system conditions,” as happened to Javier Acosta with Candida Auris.
We show you some of these other organisms that are lethal, according to the World Health Organization.
Cryptococcus neoformans
According to the scientific summary of this institution, this pathogen is found in soil and in decomposing wood. It is not transmitted from person to person and the main risk factor is having HIV, having deficiencies in the immune system and patients who have undergone an organ transplant.
Initially, it affects the lungs and then moves to the central nervous system and blood. However, it is not a disease with a high mortality rate, as there is a 41% to 61% chance of dying from it. The most frequent complications are “acute kidney failure and high intracranial pressure requiring shunts and blindness.”
Candida auris
The fungus invades the blood, heart, central nervous system, eyes, bones and internal organs. It mainly affects patients with bone marrow cancer, immunocompromised patients and organ transplant recipients. When this pathology is present, mechanical ventilation, central venous catheterization, total parenteral nutrition and sepsis are used.
The average hospital stay is 10 to 15 days for adults and children. There is little access to diagnostics in the world, since “it is difficult to identify using conventional technical methods.” Those that exist are unreliable due to their low scientific evidence.
Aspergillus fumigatus
It is a “potential pathogen” and can cause infectious diseases in the respiratory system, mainly. However, it spreads to other organs such as the lungs and affects patients with chronic pathologies related to this part of the body and immunocompromised patients.
Some of the risk factors for being infected with this fungus are having undergone corticosteroid therapy, neutropenia, and chronic liver disease. The probability of dying from this is between 44% and 88%, according to the World Health Organization, and the person could be hospitalized for more than 21 days.
Candida albicans
When present in healthy conditions, it does not represent a health problem, but when it multiplies in mucous membranes, it produces oropharyngeal candidiasis, esophageal candidiasis, vulvo-vaginal candidiasis, cutaneous candidiasis and internal infections in the blood, heart, eyes and bones.
Although there are drugs available to treat it, the mortality rate is between 20% and 50%. On the other hand, this is the fungus for which there is the most information and clarity regarding the treatment. Cases of Candida albicans remain stable in number and the avoidability is high, due to the ease of access to diagnosis.
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