Why Scientists Are Concerned About Fungi
- Scientists are raising alarms about the growing threat posed by fungi to human health, citing increasing drug resistance, emerging pathogens, and the kingdom's vast, underexplored biodiversity as key...
- Drug-resistant fungal infections are becoming more difficult to treat, with limited antifungal options available and few new drugs in development.
- Fungi are not plants, although they’re usually stocked near fresh produce in grocery stores....
Scientists are raising alarms about the growing threat posed by fungi to human health, citing increasing drug resistance, emerging pathogens, and the kingdom’s vast, underexplored biodiversity as key concerns. While fungi have long been essential to ecosystems and human medicine—producing antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and food staples—their potential to cause widespread harm is gaining renewed attention amid warnings of pandemic-level risks.
Drug-resistant fungal infections are becoming more difficult to treat, with limited antifungal options available and few new drugs in development. Public health experts warn that without improved surveillance, better diagnostics, and increased investment in antifungal research, even common infections could become life-threatening, particularly for immunocompromised individuals.
Fungi are not plants, although they’re usually stocked near fresh produce in grocery stores…. Without fungi breaking down dead matter and recycling its nutrients, life on Earth would be unrecognizable.
The Conversation, May 17, 2022
Fewer than 150,000 fungi have received formal scientific descriptions and classifications. If you enjoy bread, wine or soy sauce, or have taken penicillin or immunosuppressant drugs, thank fungi, which make all of these products possible.
The Conversation, May 17, 2022
As mycologists whose biodiversity work includes studying fungi that interact with millipedes, plants, mosquitoes and true bugs, we have devoted our careers to understanding the critical roles fungi play.
The Conversation, May 17, 2022
Three scientists call for including fungi in conservation strategies and environmental laws.
The Conversation, May 17, 2022
IMA Fungus. 2014 Dec 12;5(2):463–471. Doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2014.05.02.10 The importance of fungi and mycology for addressing major global challenges*
PMC4329327, Dec 12, 2014
Based on an address presented to the 10th International Mycological Congress (IMC10), Bangkok, 7 August 2014.
PMC4329327, Dec 12, 2014
Mar 12, 2026 … Now, mycologists are pushing to get the international scientific community to recognize fungi on the same level as plants and animals.
Yale Environment 360, Mar 12, 2026
[Earth.com] Fungus that spreads from cats to humans has been detected, raising concerns among scientists.
Google News, Earth.com
[TheHealthSite] What are drug-resistant fungi? Practical ways to reduce risk as scientists warn of pandemic-level threat.
Google News, TheHealthSite
The call to elevate fungi in scientific recognition reflects growing awareness of their dual role: as indispensable allies in health and ecology, and as emerging threats in the face of climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and global connectivity. Experts stress that understanding the full scope of fungal diversity—estimated at 2 to 4 million species, with less than 10% formally described—is critical to both harnessing their benefits and mitigating their risks.
As research continues to uncover the complex interactions between fungi, humans, and the environment, public health officials emphasize the need for coordinated global action to strengthen fungal disease preparedness, expand access to diagnostics and treatments, and support fundamental mycological science.