Health
Dangerous fungus could spread to parts of US, researchers claim
Some researchers are sounding the alarm about a potentially deadly fungus that could spread throughout parts of the U.S., Europe and Asia.
The study article, which was published in pre-print (not yet peer-reviewed) in Research Square, claims that “rising global temperatures” could lead to severe infections of Aspergillus, a fungal mold that thrives in warm, damp climates.
The resulting infection — called Aspergillosis — can impact humans, livestock and plants, the researchers wrote.
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In the study, scientific models were used to predict where Aspergillus is expected to increase based on different climate scenarios.
Some researchers are sounding the alarm about a potentially deadly fungus that could spread throughout parts of the U.S., Europe and Asia. (iStock)
The researchers predict that the fungus’ prevalence could increase by 77% by the year 2100, potentially exposing millions of people in Europe to the infection.
Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, was not involved in the research but reviewed the findings.
“The study indicates that some global climate change scenarios will result in changes of habitat ranges for certain lung and systemic fungal infections,” he told Fox News Digital.
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Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at Columbia University in New York, agreed that the study highlights concerns if Aspergillus becomes more prevalent in warmer climates.
“We do know that there are increased cases in regions of the world that are more temperate,” Vyas, who was not part of the study, told Fox News Digital.
“It is likely that levels of human exposure will continue to increase, as will diseases of plants, crops and animals.”
Cornelius Clancy, MD, associate chief of the VA Pittsburgh Health System and opportunistic pathogens at the University of Pittsburgh, said he has seen an increase in fungal infections in humans, as well as fungal diseases in agriculture, horticulture and veterinary medicine.
“Given that Aspergillus is prevalent in the environment and ongoing changes in climate favor growth of Aspergillus in the environment, it is likely that levels of human exposure will continue to increase, as will diseases of plants, crops and animals,” he predicted to Fox News Digital.
Potential risks of infection
For most healthy people, Aspergillus spores won’t cause any adverse effects, the experts noted.
“Most people will typically inhale some spores every day,” Clancy said. “If your immune system is intact, then these spores are usually removed by immune system cells in the airways and lungs and disease does not occur.”
“Rising global temperatures” could lead to severe infections of Aspergillus, a fungal mold that thrives in warm, damp climates, researchers said. (iStock)
But for people whose immune systems respond excessively to proteins in the spores, infection can cause reactions ranging from allergy-like symptoms to invasive disease.
“In persons who are immunosuppressed, such as those receiving cancer chemotherapy, there is a risk of spores invading the lungs and causing Aspergillus pneumonia or other lung infections, which can then spread in the blood to other organs,” Clancy cautioned.
“These are potentially very serious infections in immunosuppressed hosts.”
Allergic reactions and asthma exacerbations can also occur in people who are not known to be immunosuppressed, but who are predisposed to allergies and asthma, he added.
People who are elderly or have asthma are also at a higher risk of severe infection. (iStock)
“In patients whose immune system may be compromised — most commonly as a result of medications for cancer or other conditions — these organisms can invade the lung to cause significant pneumonia, and may even travel throughout the body to cause systemic disease,” Vyas cautioned.
“These patients are typically quite sick and require hospitalization.”
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People who are elderly or have asthma are also at a higher risk, noted Glanville.
“Unfortunately, there is also a global trend toward increases in rates of asthma and general demographic shifts toward a more elderly population in many areas,” he added.
As Aspergillus is an environmental organism associated with soil, it is difficult to fully avoid, experts say. (iStock)
“As clinicians, we worry about this infection because it is both hard to diagnose and even harder to treat,” Vyas told Fox News Digital. “We don’t have great drugs to effect cures for invasive fungal infections, including Aspergillus infections.”
Another obstacle is that some fungi become resistant to drugs over time, the experts agreed.
Prevention and protection
As Aspergillus is an environmental organism associated with soil, it is difficult to fully avoid, according to Vyas.
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Those who are immunocompromised should avoid working with soil unless they have had a discussion with a doctor, he recommends.
“Research into how Aspergillus causes diseases, better ways to diagnose this disease and the development of better treatments is sorely needed,” Vyas added.
“These are potentially very serious infections in immunosuppressed hosts.”
Glanville reiterated that there are anti-fungal treatment options for Aspergillosis, although the infections are often missed during initial diagnosis.
“It would be a good idea to increase medical training to recognize these infections and to subsidize the development of new antifungals,” Glanville recommended.
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People who are known to be immunosuppressed or who are taking drugs that can cause immunosuppression should talk to their health providers about protective measures, Clancy advised.
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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