Deadly Fungal Infections Are Growing Antibiotic Resistance

Fungicides used in agriculture may be impacting the effectiveness of some

medicines
As far as medical discoveries go, antibiotics are one of the crowning achievements
of the 20th century. Since penicillin was discovered in 1928, antibacterial drugs
have saved millions of lives and laid the foundations for all sorts of other
treatments. In recent years, however, as antibiotics have crept into everything from
hand soap to catheters, researchers have become concerned that frequent
exposure to these chemicals may be making bacteria stronger. As it turns out,
bacteria arent the only problem: new research suggests that potentially deadly
fungal infections are becoming more drug resistant as well.
Some people may think of fungal infections as relatively benign, such as athletes
foot or yeast infections. And while some of these woes are easily treated, there are
many other fungal infections that can lead to much more serious health problems,
Robin McKie reports for The Guardian.
Fungi can spread through patients bodies and into their spines and brains,
Gordon Brown, head of Aberdeen Universitys new Center for Medical Mycology,
tells McKie. Patients who would otherwise survive treatments are dying every year
from such infections.
Fungal infections are especially dangerous for people with compromised immune
systems, such as those who are undergoing treatment for cancer or HIV/AIDS, are
recovering from major surgeries, or are living with a chronic condition like cystic
fibrosis. But while there is a wide variety of antibacterial treatments available, there
is only a handful of antifungal treatments out there, McKie reports.
There are more than 20 different classes of antibacterial agents. By contrast, there
are only four classes of antifungal agents, Adilia Warris, co-director of the Center
for Medical Mycology, tells McKie. Our armory for dealing with deadly fungi is
much smaller than the one we have for dealing with bacteria.
That makes this new research about fungi's potential antibiotic resistance even
more concerning. The problem with antibiotics (both antifungals and antibacterials)
is that the more frequently they are used, the more they weed out the susceptible
organisms. That leaves the more drug-resistant organisms alive and able to
reproduce, which can result in passing down the strongest genes.
Its not just that people should stop using antibiotic soap or carrying hand sanitizer
with them everywhere. The problem is that humans are using so many of these
antibiotics that they are getting into the environment and affecting it. One popular

antibacterial called triclosan is commonly found in antibiotic soaps, but it is also

used as a pesticide, immunologist Tirumalai Kamala writes for Quora. Triclosan is
used in so many products that it is nearly impossible to keep it out of the natural
world, where it messes with animals microbiota and even the workings of our
cities sewage systems, which rely on healthy microbes to break down waste.
Similarly, the overuse of fungicides on crops has researchers concerned about
breeding drug-resistant strains, some of which may already be showing up in
hospitals around the world, Maryn McKenna reports for National Geographic.
Theres no easy solution to fighting the spread of drug resistant pathogens, but
researchers are taking the first few steps. More lab time is being devoted to
figuring out ways to combat fungal infections, while some countries have either
banned triclosan outright or are considering it. In any case, it might be worth
thinking twice the next time youre considering buying a bottle of antibacterial soap
at the supermarket.