The Emerging Global Burden of Fungal Infections: Epidemiology, Climate Change, Antifungal Resistance and Public Health Challenges

Mahendra Pal^1, , Mahek Desai², Tesfaye Rebuma³, Pratibha Dave⁴, Claudete Rodrigues Paula⁵, Neelima Ranjan⁶ and Oskar Nowak⁷

¹Narayan Consultancy on Veterinary Public Health and Microbiology, Bharuch, Gujarat, India

²Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

³Sheger City Administration, Sebeta sub city Agricultural Office, Sebeta, Oromia, Ethiopia

⁴Shashwat Skin Clinic and Consultant at Welfare Hospital and Research Centre, Bharuch, Gujarat, India

⁵School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

⁶Department of Microbiology, Gajra Raj Medical College, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India

⁷Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland

Cite this paper:
Mahendra Pal, Mahek Desai, Tesfaye Rebuma, Pratibha Dave, Claudete Rodrigues Paula, Neelima Ranjan and Oskar Nowak. The Emerging Global Burden of Fungal Infections: Epidemiology, Climate Change, Antifungal Resistance and Public Health Challenges. American Journal of Medical and Biological Research. 2026; 14(2):22-29. doi: 10.12691/ajmbr-14-2-1

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 Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Geotrichum, and Trichosporon cause diverse clinical syndromes, whereas endemic dimorphic fungi including Blastomyces, Coccidioides, Histoplasma, Paracoccidioides, and Talaromyces 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.

Keywords:
Antifungal resistance Climate change Endemic mycoses Fungal infections Global burden One Health Opportunistic mycoses

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