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Updated: Jun 30, 2025

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis
Published on: March 19, 2019
Impact of climate change and natural disasters on fungal infections
Danila Seidel1, Sebastian Wurster2, Jeffrey D Jenks3
1Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Institute of Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Center of Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) and Excellence Center of Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany; German Centre of Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Abstract:
The effects of climate change and natural disasters on fungal pathogens and the risks for fungal diseases remain incompletely understood. In this literature review, we examined how fungi are adapting to an increase in the Earth's temperature and are becoming more thermotolerant, which is enhancing fungal fitness and virulence. Climate change is creating conditions conducive to the emergence of new fungal pathogens and is priming fungi to adapt to previously inhospitable environments, such as polluted habitats and urban areas, leading to the geographical spread of some fungi to traditionally non-endemic areas. Climate change is also contributing to increases in the frequency and severity of natural disasters, which can trigger outbreaks of fungal diseases and increase the spread of fungal pathogens. The populations mostly affected are the socially vulnerable. More awareness, research, funding, and policies on the part of key stakeholders are needed to mitigate the effects of climate change and disaster-related fungal diseases.
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