Fungal diseases becoming increasingly resistant to treatment: WHO

Fungal diseases are increasingly becoming a public health concern, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The global health agency recently stated that fungal diseases, including drug-resistant infections like Candida, are increasingly affecting immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, living with HIV, or receiving organ transplants.

WHO warned that the lack of effective treatments and limited diagnostic capabilities, especially in low- and middle-income countries is putting millions at risk.

The agency published the first-ever reports highlighting the urgent need for better medicines and diagnostic tools to combat fungal infections.

"Invasive fungal infections threaten the lives of the most vulnerable, but countries lack the treatments needed to save lives," said Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance.

The WHO’s Fungal Priority Pathogens List (FPPL) categorises certain fungi as 'critical priority' threats, with mortality rates as high as 88%.

However, treatment development remains sluggish. Only four new antifungal



drugs have been approved in the past decade, and just three candidates are in the final phase of clinical trials, making new approvals unlikely in the near future.

Existing antifungal treatments have significant drawbacks, including serious side effects, drug interactions, and the need for prolonged hospitalisation.

The report also highlighted the lack of paediatric formulations and clinical trials for children.

The WHO's diagnostics report reveals that current tests for fungal infections are often slow, expensive, and require advanced laboratory infrastructure, making them inaccessible to many, especially in low-resource settings.

To address these challenges, WHO is calling for increased investment in global surveillance, financial incentives for drug development, and research into immune-based treatments.

Expanding access to affordable, rapid diagnostic tools is also critical to improving early detection and treatment of fungal diseases.

As fungal infections become more widespread and resistant to existing drugs, WHO stresses that urgent action is needed to close the growing treatment and diagnostic gap.