A deadly fungus that can rot human tissue from within is rapidly spreading across the United States, with experts sounding alarm over rising temperatures, widespread drug resistance, and the lack of national disease tracking. According to a report in The Daily Mail, the airborne fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is nearly impossible to avoid and poses an especially grave risk to individuals with weakened immune systems.
Hard to detect, deadlier to fight
The fungus causes aspergillosis, a serious lung infection that can lead to organ failure and death, particularly in cancer, asthma, or HIV patients. As the news report notes, its spores are so small they are inhaled without notice. Once inside the lungs, the fungus can trigger chronic infections or even spread to the brain, heart, and kidneys in more invasive forms.
Despite its danger, aspergillosis is not a reportable disease in the US — meaning infections, hospitalizations, and fatalities are not systematically tracked, making outbreaks difficult to identify.
Rising cases and soaring costs
Citing health data, the news outlet reported that invasive aspergillosis hospitalisations in the US rose by around 3% annually between 2000 and 2013. By 2014, nearly 15,000 hospital stays were linked to the infection, costing an estimated $1.2 billion. Intensive care autopsies also revealed it ranks among the top four infections most likely to cause death.
Around 400,000 people are estimated to suffer from chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, the long-term form of the disease. Invasive cases, though less common, are far more fatal — with only 59% of organ transplant patients surviving a year after infection, and just 25% of stem cell transplant patients, according to studies cited by The Daily Mail.
Heat, humidity, and urban risk
The fungus thrives in warm, damp environments and can survive temperatures above 120°F in compost piles. According to The Daily Mail, the highest exposure levels are being recorded in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and California — states with hot, humid climates and extensive farming activity. Dense urban centers like New York, Houston, and Los Angeles are also vulnerable due to aging infrastructure and population density.
A University of Manchester study warned, the news report stated, that if fossil fuel use continues unchecked, Aspergillus fumigatus could expand by over 75% by 2100, putting millions more at risk across the southern US.
Drug resistance from farm to human
Perhaps most concerning is the rising drug resistance. Azole antifungal drugs — commonly used to treat human infections — are also widely applied in agriculture to protect crops. Experts cited by the news outlet said that this practice may be driving environmental resistance, with drug-resistant fungal spores jumping from soil to humans.
A study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found azole-resistant strains of Aspergillus fumigatus in farm soils across at least seven US states. Some strains are resistant to multiple standard treatments, and the mixing of fungal types may be accelerating the resistance crisis.
WHO declares critical fungal threat
The World Health Organization has named Aspergillus fumigatus a “critical priority” due to its high mortality rates and the increasing threat of untreatable infections. The news outlet reported that the WHO is urging global investment in new antifungal drugs, faster diagnostic tools, improved hospital protocols, and enhanced training for healthcare professionals. The organization is also calling on pharmaceutical firms to include children in clinical trials for fungal treatments.
Preventive steps urged
Doctors are advising those with compromised immune systems to avoid gardening, soil, and moldy environments, wear protective masks in dusty areas, and ensure clean air circulation in hospitals and homes. US hospitals have begun strengthening mold inspections and antifungal protocols in response to the growing concern.
