@article{ajmbr20261421,
author={{Pal, Mahendra and Desai, Mahek and Rebuma, Tesfaye and Dave, Pratibha and Paula, Claudete Rodrigues and Ranjan, Neelima and Nowak, Oskar},
title={The Emerging Global Burden of Fungal Infections: Epidemiology, Climate Change, Antifungal Resistance and Public Health Challenges},
journal={American Journal of Medical and Biological Research},
volume={14},
number={2},
pages={22--29},
year={2026},
url={https://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmbr/14/2/1},
issn={2328-4099},
abstract={Fungal infections constitute an increasingly important global public health problem and are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly among immunocompromised and critically ill individuals. They range from highly prevalent superficial mycoses to invasive and disseminated infections with high case-fatality rates. Opportunistic pathogens, such as <i>Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Geotrichum</i>, and <i>Trichosporon</i> cause diverse clinical syndromes, whereas endemic dimorphic fungi including <i>Blastomyces, Coccidioides, Histoplasma, Paracoccidioides</i>, and <i>Talaromyces</i> are strongly influenced by environmental and geographic exposure. Recent global estimates suggest that more than 6.5 million life-threatening invasive fungal infections occur annually, with approximately 3.8 million associated deaths. Climate change may alter fungal ecology, geographic distribution, and human exposure, while antifungal resistance increasingly compromises the effectiveness of the limited therapeutic options available. This review summarizes the epidemiology, major opportunistic and endemic mycoses, global morbidity and mortality, climate-related emergence, and antifungal resistance, and highlights the need for improved surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, antifungal stewardship, access to effective treatment, and coordinated One Health interventions.},
doi={10.12691/ajmbr-14-2-1}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}