Latest news with #Aspergillus
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Don't Blame the Pigeons for Aspergillosis
In recent times, the blue rock pigeon — also known as Columba livia — has found itself at the center of a growing controversy. Commonly seen flitting about on balconies, rooftops, and urban ledges, this resilient bird is now being scapegoated for an illness called aspergillosis. This respiratory infection, caused by fungi from the Aspergillus genus, has sparked headlines and concerns, leading many to point fingers squarely at these pigeons as disease carriers. But is this accusation fair, or is it a case of misplaced blame? Let's take a closer, more informed look. What is Aspergillosis, Really? Aspergillosis is an infection caused by Aspergillus — a genus of mold that includes hundreds of species. The most common culprit in infections is Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus that produces tiny airborne spores. These spores, when inhaled in large quantities, can cause respiratory illness, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, preexisting lung conditions, or prolonged exposure to dusty, moldy environments. However, here's the critical fact: Aspergillus is ubiquitous. It's found everywhere — in soil, decaying vegetation, compost, dust, old building materials, air-conditioning systems, bird droppings, and even in grain and spices. It thrives in damp and poorly ventilated areas. The spores are so widespread that avoiding them entirely is virtually impossible. Inhaling a few spores is a part of daily life and is generally harmless to healthy individuals. Pigeons Are Not the Sole Source — Far From It Despite popular belief, pigeons are not the origin of aspergillosis. While the droppings of any bird — including pigeons — can provide a damp organic medium where mold might grow, this is no different from a damp corner of a bathroom, an uncleaned air duct, or neglected plant soil. The link between pigeons and the fungus is indirect at best. The presence of pigeons may coincide with mold-friendly conditions, but they are not the cause. Blaming pigeons alone for spreading a naturally occurring mold is scientifically unfounded. The real issue is environmental hygiene, not avian biology.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
'World near tipping point': Study warns about a deadly fungus that could kill millions
A new study has raised concerns about the possible spread of a deadly fungus across Europe, Asia, and the Americas due to rising global temperatures. The fungus, Aspergillus, thrives in warm and damp environments and could cause severe lung infections, especially in people with weakened immune systems or chronic respiratory illnesses. Risk of infection linked to warming climate Researchers say that Aspergillus could expand its reach as temperatures rise, making millions more vulnerable to its effects. The fungus is already known to grow in compost and other high-temperature settings. Its ability to survive at 37°C, the temperature inside the human body, allows it to infect the lungs of susceptible individuals. While not everyone who inhales its spores falls ill, people with asthma, cystic fibrosis, or weakened immunity are more likely to be affected. A global shift in species distribution Norman van Rhijn, a co-author of the study, warned that the world was approaching a "tipping point" regarding fungal pathogens. "We're talking about hundreds of thousands of lives, and continental shifts in species distributions. In 50 years, where things grow and what you get infected by is going to be completely different," Van Rhijn told the Financial Times. Live Events The study noted that Aspergillus fumigatus could potentially spread to 77% more territory by 2100 if fossil fuel use continues at the current rate. This would put an estimated nine million people in Europe at risk of exposure. Limited understanding of fungal pathogens Scientists say the danger is made worse by the fact that fungi are one of the least understood groups of organisms. Only around 10% of the estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million fungal species have been properly identified, and very few have had their genomes sequenced. "Its lifestyle in the natural environment may have provided Aspergillus fumigatus with the fitness advantage needed to colonise human lungs," said Professor Elaine Bignell, co-director at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at Exeter University. Drug development lags behind Despite the potential threat, investment in antifungal medicines has been slow. Scientists say this is due to high development costs and low expected returns, making it a less attractive area for pharmaceutical companies. The study also mentioned the fungus's ability to survive in extreme conditions, including the radioactive environment inside Chernobyl's nuclear reactors, which underlines its resilience.
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
This commonly used item is 58 times dirtier than a public toilet seat — beware the next time you go to use it
That's gross. It's hard to believe that there is something dirtier than a public toilet bowl — but there is, and it's something that travelers use several times a year. The wheels of a suitcase are a breeding ground for bacteria, carrying nearly 58 times more than the place where people publicly relieve themselves, according to a study conducted by insurance company Insure and Go. Advertisement Your luggage is carrying around a gross amount of bacteria KaysArt – Insure and Go partnered with microbiologist Amy-May Pointer to swab the wheels and the base of both hard and soft-shell suitcases at an airport train station. Their findings revealed that several different types of bacteria live on the majority of travelers' suitcases — Staphylococcus species, which is a common skin bacterium, Serratia marcescens, usually found in bathrooms and Aspergillus species, which are described by the research team as 'black fuzzy molds.' Advertisement 'The microbial communities found on the suitcases included skin bacteria, environmental moulds, and some faecal-associated germs amongst others,' said Pointer, according to Insure and Go. Most of these organisms are not highly dangerous in everyday settings, but they form a film of general filth. This explains that grimy feel or musty odour luggage can get after multiple trips.' Now, knowing this, think of all the places that your suitcase, which has been carrying around all this gross bacteria, has touched. Gross. Advertisement 'The key point is that microbes were very diverse, reflecting all the places the luggage had been. It reinforces the recommendation to keep luggage away from clean surfaces like beds and to deep clean it occasionally,' the expert advised. To clean a soft or hard-shell piece of luggage, the Wire Cutter team recommends wiping it down with either an alcohol wipe or mixing dish soap with water and using a rag to wipe it clean. It's recommended to wipe down your luggage after every use. triocean – To clean the dirty wheels, first get rid of any hair or carpet fibers stuck using scissors before wiping them down with an all-purpose cleaner. Advertisement It's recommended to clean your suitcase after every trip and 'If you want to go the extra mile, consider using a washable suitcase cover, or even slip shower caps over the wheels when bringing it inside,' Pointer suggested. 'It might sound silly, but covering those wheels can stop them from spreading bacteria across your carpet or bedding. You could be protecting your sheets from the kind of microbes that include skin-irritating bacteria like Staphylococcus species.' Suitcases aren't the only commonly used bacteria-filled things. $100 bills have Staphylococcus bacteria, smartphones can carry a variety of bacteria and public toilet seats can contain E. coli growth, according to researcher Amani Abdlrasul, who works as a medical laboratory scientist in Tampa, Florida.
NBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
Fungal infections are getting harder to treat
Fungal infections are getting harder to treat as they grow more resistant to available drugs, according to research published Wednesday in The Lancet Microbe. The study focused on infections caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus that is ubiquitous in soil and decaying matter around the world. Aspergillus spores are inhaled all the time, usually without causing any problems. But in people who are immunocompromised or who have underlying lung conditions, Aspergillus can be dangerous. The fungus is one of the World Health Organization's top concerns on its list of priority fungi, which notes that death rates for people with drug-resistant Aspergillus infections range from 47%-88%. The new study found that the fungus's drug resistance is increasing. On top of that, patients are typically infected with multiple strains of the fungus, sometimes with different resistance genes. 'This presents treatment issues,' said the study's co-author, Jochem Buil, a microbiologist at Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Buil and his team analyzed more than 12,600 samples of Aspergillus fumigatus taken from the lungs of patients in Dutch hospitals over the last 30 years. Of these, about 2,000 harbored mutations associated with resistance to azoles, the class of antifungals used to treat the infections. Most of them had one of two well-known mutations, but 17% had variations of these mutations. Nearly 60 people had invasive infections — meaning the fungi spread from the lungs to other parts of the body — 13 of which were azole-resistant. In these people, nearly 86% were infected with multiple strains of the fungi, making treatment even more complicated. 'It is an increasingly complicated story and physicians may have trouble identifying whether or not they are dealing with a drug-resistant fungal infection,' said Dr. Arturo Casadevall, chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who wasn't involved with the research. Before treating an Aspergillus fungal infection, doctors look for resistance genes that can give them clues about which drugs will work best. If someone is infected with multiple strains of the same type of fungus, this becomes much less clear-cut. Oftentimes, different strains will respond to different drugs. 'Azoles are the first line of treatment for azole-susceptible strains, but they do not work when a strain is resistant. For those, we need to use different drugs that don't work as well and have worse side effects,' Buil said, adding that some people will require treatment with multiple antifungal drugs at the same time. The findings illustrate a larger trend of growing pressure on the few drugs available to treat fungal infections — there are only three major classes of antifungal drugs, including azoles, that treat invasive infections, compared with several dozen classes of antibiotics. Resistance to these drugs is growing, and new ones are uniquely difficult to develop. Humans and fungi share about half of their DNA, meaning we're much more closely related to fungi than we are to bacteria and viruses. Many of the proteins that are essential for fungi to survive are also essential for human cells, leaving fewer safe targets for antifungal drugs to attack. 'The big problem for all of these fungal species is that we don't have a lot of antifungals,' said Jarrod Fortwendel, a professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, who was not involved with the research. 'Typically the genetic mutations that cause resistance don't cause resistance to one of the drugs, it's all of them, so you lose the entire class of drugs.' Further complicating matters, the vast majority of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus stems from agriculture, where fungicides are widely used. These fungicides typically have the same molecular targets as antifungal drugs. Farmers spray them on crops, including wheat and barley in the U.S., to prevent or treat fungal disease. (The first instance of azole resistance was documented in the Netherlands, where antifungals are widely used on tulips.) Aspergillus fungi aren't the target, but exposure to these fungicides gives them a head start developing genes that are resistant to these targets, sometimes before an antifungal drug with the same target even hits the market. This was the source of the vast majority of the drug resistance analyzed in the study. Fortwendel noted that fungal resistance is increasingly found around the world. 'Basically everywhere we look for drug-resistant isotopes, we find them,' he said. 'We are seeing this azole drug-resistance happening throughout the U.S. Those rates will likely climb.' Any individual person's risk of having an azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus is low, Casadevall said. Infections typically affect people who are immunocompromised and amount to around a few thousand cases per year in the U.S., Casadevall estimated. While relatively uncommon, the bigger risk is the broader trend of drug-resistant fungal infections. 'The organisms that cause disease are getting more resistant to drugs,' he said. 'Even though it's not like Covid, we don't wake up to a fungal pandemic, this is a problem that is worse today than it was five, 10 or 20 years ago.'
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Not washing your bed sheets enough could lead to serious lung infections, warns expert – six signs you could be at risk
Different types of bedding require different washing routines, according to an expert OH SHEET Not washing your bed sheets enough could lead to serious lung infections, warns expert – six signs you could be at risk WE all have our unique bedtime routines, whether it's limiting screen time before bed, making sure your bedroom's the right temperature before slipping under the sheets, or deciding on a set bedtime. And the same can be said when it comes to our sheets. 2 Failing to wash your bedding often enough can have a detrimental impact on your health Credit: Getty While some people love fresh sheets once a week, others make changing their bedding a monthly ritual. But how often should you really be washing them? The feeling of clean, fresh sheets is a universally loved sensation, often described as comforting, relaxing, and conducive to better sleep. But according to science, regular washing is more than just a question of cleanliness. According to Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, people shed hundreds of thousands of skin cells each night, excrete oils from the sebaceous glands, and sweat up to half a pint of fluid. And that's even after showering just before bed. Writing for The Conversation, she explained: "Our skin hosts millions of bacteria and fungi, many of which are transferred onto sheets, pillows and duvets as we move during the night. "That fresh sweat may be odourless, but bacteria on our skin, particularly staphylococci, break it down into smelly byproducts. "This is often why you wake up with body odour, even if you went to bed clean." But it's not just about these microbes. Doctor shares why you must never wash clothes at 90 or 40 degrees & the right temperature for 'everything but gym gear' During the day, our hair and bodies collect pollutants, dust, pollen and allergens, and this transfers onto our bedding, adds Freestone. As well as triggering allergies and affecting our breathing, flakes of skin become food for dust mites. Freestone warned: "The mites themselves aren't dangerous, but their faecal droppings are potent allergens that can aggravate eczema, asthma and allergic rhinitis." Fungi can find your bed appealing too. She added: "Some species, like aspergillus fumigatus, have been detected in used bed pillows and can cause serious lung infections, particularly in people with weakened immune systems." Six signs you could be at risk of aspergillosis Aspergillosis is an infection caused by breathing in spores of Aspergillus, a common mould. While most people don't get sick from it, it can cause mild to severe illness. There are six signs you could have aspergillosis, according to the NHS: Shortness of breath A cough - you may cough up blood or lumps of mucus Wheezing A high temperature Losing weight without trying Feeling tired If you've had a cough for more than three weeks, have a lung condition that's getting worse or harder to control with your usual treatment, or have a weakened immune system and symptoms of aspergillosis, see a GP. So how often should you wash your bedding? 2 Make sure to air your mattress every few days and replace it every seven years Credit: Getty It depends on the type of bedding, says Freestone. For sheets and pillowcases, wash them weekly, or every three to four days if you've been ill, sweat heavily, or share a bed with pets. You should also wash therm at 60°C or higher with detergent to kill bacteria and dust mites. Tumble drying or ironing is advised for deeper sanitation, and to target dust mites inside pillows, freeze them for at least eight hours. When it comes to your mattress, vacuum this weekly, airing the mattress every few days. Replacing your mattress every seven years can help maintain hygiene and support. Pillows should be washed every four to six months - just check the wash label first. Blankets and duvet covers should be done every two weeks, especially if your pet sleeps on them. And duvets need washing every three to four months, depending on usage.
