Global Call to Address Antifungal Resistance and Promote Responsible Use of Pesticides

Experts from UC Davis emphasize the urgent need for a global, coordinated approach to combat antifungal resistance arising from environmental and medical pesticide use, highlighting the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

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Infectious disease specialists from UC Davis, George Thompson and Angel Desai, have issued a warning regarding the growing threat of antifungal resistance. Their recent commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights how the widespread use of pesticides and antifungal agents in agriculture and medicine can contribute to the development of resistant pathogens, making infections harder to treat. They emphasize the importance of a unified, global approach rooted in the One Health concept, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment.

The experts point out that fungi are responsible for significant health and economic burdens worldwide. The overuse and misuse of antifungal compounds in different sectors can lead to resistance, exemplified by cases like Candida auris, a multidrug-resistant fungus causing severe infections. They warn that the cellular machinery of fungi shares similarities with humans, limiting available treatments and increasing the risk of side effects.

Moreover, environmental changes such as climate shifts, wind patterns, and human travel contribute to the spread of pathogenic fungi to new regions. The rise in severe fungal infections calls for more cautious use of antifungal agents and pesticides. The authors advocate for stricter, coordinated regulation of pesticide development and deployment, including comprehensive assessments of their environmental and health impacts.

The establishment of bodies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyf s Interagency Drug and Pesticide Resistance and Efficacy Workgroupf underscores the need for global cooperation. Implementing shared approval processes can help prevent the rapid spread of resistance, which poses serious challenges to medical treatment and public health. Recognizing the interconnected nature of these issues is vital in developing effective strategies to combat antifungal resistance and safeguard both health and ecosystems.