WHO Releases First-Ever Report on Global Fungal Infections

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its inaugural report on fungal infections, underscoring the urgent global need for advanced medicines, improved diagnostic tools, and expanded research and development (R&D) efforts to tackle invasive fungal diseases.

Fungal infections, such as Candida—which causes oral and vaginal thrush—are increasingly resistant to treatment, posing severe threats to public health. These infections primarily impact critically ill patients and individuals with weakened immune systems, including those undergoing chemotherapy, living with HIV, or recipients of organ transplants.

Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO's Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance ad interim, emphasized the severity of the issue: "Invasive fungal infections threaten the lives of the most vulnerable, yet countries lack necessary treatments. The pipeline for new antifungal drugs and diagnostics is inadequate, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where diagnostic gaps frequently prevent accurate treatment."

WHO's Fungal Priority Pathogens List (FPPL) identifies critical priority fungi as highly lethal, with mortality rates reaching up to 88 percent. As medical advancements enable more people to survive treatments that compromise immunity, the vulnerability to invasive fungal diseases increases significantly.

Challenges highlighted in the report include limited access to effective diagnostic tools, insufficient antifungal medicine availability, and slow progress in antifungal drug R&D. Over the past decade, only four new antifungal medications have received approval in the United States, European Union, and China. Currently, only nine antifungal drugs are in clinical development to combat these dangerous pathogens.

Existing treatments often involve significant side effects, complex drug interactions, restricted dosing flexibility, and prolonged hospitalizations. The report calls urgently for safer antifungal drugs that require less monitoring and effectively combat various severe fungal infections.

To address these issues, WHO recommends increased investments in global surveillance, additional financial incentives for antifungal drug discovery, enhanced funding for basic fungal research, and exploration of treatments enhancing patients’ immune responses.

Diagnostics remain a critical barrier, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, due to the requirements for specialized laboratories, trained personnel, and reliable electricity. WHO emphasizes the pressing need for rapid, accurate, affordable, and user-friendly diagnostic tests suitable for diverse healthcare settings.

WHO also notes the necessity of improved training for healthcare workers to heighten awareness and enhance responses to fungal infections, advocating a comprehensive global strategy against invasive fungal diseases and antifungal resistance. Additionally, the organization is currently developing an implementation blueprint for the FPPL.