Impact of climate change and natural disasters on fungal infections.

The effects of climate change and natural disasters on fungal pathogens and the risks for fungal diseases remain incompletely understood. In this literature review, we examined how fungi are adapting to an increase in the Earth's temperature and are becoming more thermotolerant, which is enhancing fungal fitness and virulence. Climate change is creating conditions conducive to the emergence of new fungal pathogens and is priming fungi to adapt to previously inhospitable environments, such as polluted habitats and urban areas, leading to the geographical spread of some fungi to traditionally non-endemic areas. Climate change is also contributing to increases in the frequency and severity of natural disasters, which can trigger outbreaks of fungal diseases and increase the spread of fungal pathogens. The populations mostly affected are the socially vulnerable. More awareness, research, funding, and policies on the part of key stakeholders are needed to mitigate the effects of climate change and disaster-related fungal diseases.

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Declaration of interests DS received speaker fees from Pfizer and Hikma Pharmaceuticals, all outside of the submitted work. AC is a Fellow of the CIFAR Program Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities. JDJ received research funding from Astellas, F2G, and Pfizer, all outside of the submitted work. J-PG received speaker fees and travel support from Gilead, Mundipharma, Pfizer, and Shionogi, all outside of the submitted work. RS received speaker fees from Akademie für Infektionsmedizin, Hikma, and Pfizer, and travel support from Pfizer, all outside of the submitted work. OC reports grants or contracts from Amplyx, Basilea, BMBF, Cidara, DZIF, EU-DG RTD (101037867), F2G, Gilead, Matinas, MedPace, MSD, Mundipharma, Octapharma, Pfizer, and Scynexis; consulting fees from AbbVie, Amplyx, Biocon, Biosys, Cidara, Da Volterra, Gilead, IQVIA, Janssen, Matinas, MedPace, Menarini, Molecular Partners, MSG-ERC, Noxxon, Octapharma, Pfizer, PSI, Scynexis, and Seres; honoraria for lectures from Abbott, AbbVie, Al-Jazeera Pharmaceuticals, Astellas, Gilead, Grupo Biotoscana/United Medical/Knight, Hikma, MedScape, MedUpdate, Merck/MSD, Mylan, Noscendo, Pfizer, and Shionogi; payment for expert testimony from Cidara; participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) or Advisory Board from Actelion, Allecra, Cidara, Entasis, IQVIA, Janssen, MedPace, Paratek, PSI, Pulmocide, Shionogi, and The Prime Meridian Group; a patent at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DE 10 2021 113 007.7); stocks from CoRe Consulting, and EasyRadiology; and other interests from DGHO, DGI, ECMM, EHA, ISHAM, MSG-ERC, and Wiley. GRT received research and consulting fees from Astellas, Amplyx, Cidara, F2G, Mayne, Melinta, Mundipharma, and Scynexis and served on the DSMB for Pfizer, all outside of the submitted work. MH received research funding from Gilead, Astellas, MSD, IMMY, Mundipharma, Scynexis, F2G, and Pfizer, all outside of the submitted work. DPK received honoraria and research support from Gilead Sciences and Astellas Pharma; received consultant fees from Astellas Pharma, MSD, and Gilead Sciences; and is a member of the Data Review Committee of Cidara Therapeutics, AbbVie, Scynexis, and the Mycoses Study Group, all unrelated to the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests.