New Delhi, April 18: A team of researchers said on Wednesday that an increasing number of fungi are becoming resistant to medication, posing serious risks for patients with weakened immune systems. Under the leadership of Paul Verweij, medical microbiologist and professor at Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in the Netherlands, 50 researchers from 16 organisations worked together, according to a paper published in Nature Medicine.
They gathered global data and developed a five‑step plan to better monitor and prevent the rise of resistant fungi. The five steps include awareness, surveillance, infection prevention and control, optimised use, and investments. Fungal resistance does not develop in hospitals but originates largely in the environment. Fungicides used to protect crops against fungal plant diseases closely resemble the antifungal drugs used in healthcare. “Long‑term exposure in agriculture allows fungi to develop resistance to these agents. These resistant fungi then spread through the air. As a result, resistance emerging in agriculture can lead to less effective treatments for patients with severe fungal infections,” said researchers.