Medical report: Fungal disease on the rise

Veteran medical experts have raised an alert over the increasing threat to Chinese public health posed by invasive fungal disease, or IFD. Mortality rates of the severe and often under recognized condition have been on the rise, a recent report said.

Worldwide, IFD has emerged as a significant cause of death. The rising incidence is the result of an increase in the number of susceptible individuals, including people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS), cancer patients, people in immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients and patients requiring critical care with prolonged hospitalization.

More than 300 million people worldwide suffer from severe fungal infections annually.

The World Health Organization published a report in October highlighting the first list of fungal "priority pathogens" to focus on and drive further research and policy interventions to strengthen the global response to fungal infections and antifungal resistance.

Fungal pathogens pose a major threat to public health, as they are becoming increasingly common and resistant to treatment with only four classes of antifungal medicines currently available, and few new drug candidates in the clinical pipeline.

Most fungal pathogens lack rapid and sensitive diagnostics and those that exist are not widely available or affordable globally, the report said.

In China, the situation is no different, with an increasing number of immunocompromised patients due to factors such as an aging population, the use of targeted therapies and immunotherapy, said Wang Minggui, head of the Institute of Antibiotics at Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University.

"IFD is particularly challenging because of its atypical clinical symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult. Empirical treatment thereafter becomes a primary strategy for healthcare professionals. The urgent need for effective treatment is more apparent than ever," he said.

The latest introduction of the new IFD treatment of AmBisome by Gilead Sciences, provides a much-needed therapeutic option for healthcare professionals in China, offering comprehensive coverage against various fungal types, including Aspergillus, Candida, Mucor, Cryptococcus and rare fungal strains, Wang added.

Xu Yingchun, head of the clinical laboratory at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said the new treatment addresses the demand for broad-spectrum and potent antifungal treatments, providing clinicians with more options to effectively combat IFD.

"The prevalence of drug-resistant strains and reduced sensitivity to existing drugs poses significant challenges," Xu added.