Why is Fungal AMR Important?
Antifungal drug resistance is rapidly increasing on a global scale across a broad range of pathogenic fungi with major consequences for food security and human and animal health.
Crop-destroying fungi are estimated to account for 30% of perennial yield loss: they are the primary driver for antifungal usage, and a failure to address antifungal resistance could be catastrophic for food security.
Mass usage of agricultural fungicides has a dual impact through induction of resistance in major animal and human fungal pathogens.
The WHO fungal priority pathogen list published in 2022 highlighted that fungal-attributable deaths were at least equal to numbers of people killed by tuberculosis or malaria.
Human fungal disease is multi-faceted and escalating due to climate change, and an ever-increasing population of individuals with chronic respiratory diseases, critical illnesses or immunocompromised states.
A One Health approach is urgently required to address complex drivers for antifungal drug resistance.
