Emerging mycoses: a neglected area of concern for global health.

BACKGROUND

One of the most neglected, yet rapidly developing, areas of concern in global health is the changing epidemiology of fungal infections.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this narrative review was to draw attention to the pressing need for both a better understanding of the ecological, environmental, and host-related mechanisms underlying these emerging phenomena as well as a greater awareness of the growing clinical and public health significance of fungal diseases. It also highlights the significance of equitable access to fungal diagnostics and antifungal treatments, as well as coordinated surveillance across the One Health framework's environmental, animal, and human interfaces.

SOURCES: This review is based on a narrative synthesis of recent literature on emerging mycoses, including epidemiological studies, clinical reports, and global health analyses addressing environmental drivers, pathogen evolution, and health system preparedness.

CONTENT: Although many of the causative agents are well-known environmental pathogens, climate change, deforestation, increased human mobility, growing immunosuppressed populations, and ill-equipped healthcare infrastructures are all contributing to fungi emerging as serious public health risks. Blastomyces helicus (formerly B. dermatitidis), Candidozyma auris (formerly Candida auris), Emergomyces spp., and Sporothrix brasiliensis are a few examples of mycoses with changing epidemiological patterns.

IMPLICATIONS: Fungal diseases continue to be neglected in international health policies and inadequately incorporated into frameworks for pandemic preparedness, despite their increasing clinical and ecological significance. The world community runs the risk of entering the next era of infectious threats unprepared for the expanding fungal frontier if concurrent investments are not made in clinical training, infection prevention and control, and health system readiness.