When fungal infections turn deadly

Send us Fan MailJust about everyone has had an unpleasant fungal encounter, usually something as simple as athlete’s foot, ringworm, or dandruff.But fungal infections can become much more dangerous and even deadly, especially in people whose immune systems are damaged by another infection such as HIV, tuberculosis, or even COVID-19. Mold species such as aspergillus are in the air all the time and when breathed in by someone whose immune system is damaged, they can cause an infection known as aspergillosis. Another infection, candida auris, spreads in hospitals and can kill. More than 300 million people have such infections and 1.5 million die from them, according to recent estimates.In this episode, Dr. David Denning, a retired professor of infectious diseases, global health, and medical mycology at Wythenshawe Hospital and the University of Manchester, chats with One World, One Health host Maggie Fox about the threat of fungal diseases, especially as people alter their environments.Denning is the founding president, executive director, and chief executive of Global Action For Fungal Infections (GAFFI), which focuses on the global impact of fungal disease.Listen as Dr. Denning describes the need for new, resistance-busting medications to fight fungal infections, better testing to diagnose them, and better awareness of the threat.