Fungal brain infection causes a deadly epidemic in Africa

The fungi kingdom is spread over most parts of the planet and most of the time goes unnoticed – do not forget: Mold is a common type of fungus that is common in homes. Likewise, the fungus is responsible for an ongoing deadly epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa that attacks the brain and causes cases of meningitis.

“Africa is experiencing a silent but costly epidemic of fungal infection,” Rachel Dangarimbezi, a neuroinfection researcher at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa, explains in an article for the platform. Conversation.

“The emergence of a potentially fatal fungal infection in the region is mainly due to the high burden of HIV infection, the lack of access to quality healthcare and the lack of effective antifungal drugs,” adds the expert.

It is worth noting that Dangarembizi recently published in the magazine Parasite immunityA systematic review of the epidemiological situation of fungi infecting the brain on the African continent.

When the body fails to control the fungus

In the vast majority of cases, fungi do not cause disease in humans. That’s because human body temperature tends to inactivate most of these infectious agents. In parallel, the human immune system manages to control these fungal infections before they spread.

but, People with immunodeficiency They are more likely to develop serious fungal diseases. In other words, the likelihood of complications increases in individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those who have had transplants, who have been treated for cancer or who are living with HIV. The latter is very important given the African population, as “Africa is responsible for 67% of the global HIV burden,” notes Dangarimbezi.

Which fungi cause fatal epidemics?

When analyzing the African scenario, some fungi that can attack the brain and cause cryptococcal meningitis stand out, such as Modern undercover. This is commonly found in soil and bird droppings, and becomes infected by inhaling fungal spores. The disease begins in the lungs, but if it reaches the brain tissue, it tends to be fatal.

Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the leading causes of meningitis in adults in sub-Saharan Africa and is associated with approximately 20% of all AIDS-related deaths. [infecção do HIV não controlada]Researcher details about the epidemic. At this point, one of the challenges is the high cost of the drugs, which is estimated to be at least $1,400 (6,700 riyals) per patient.

Another example of an opportunistic fungal disease associated with HIV is pneumonia caused by fungi Pneumocystis gerovici. When it is infected, a person can easily pass it on to other individuals with immune system problems. Therefore, “this pneumonia occurs in 15% to 20% of HIV-infected patients who have respiratory problems,” Dangarembizi comments. Again, the treatment is very expensive for most patients.

The threat of fungi that attack the brain in the world

Although the emergence of the fungus is stronger in some regions of the African continent, it is not exclusive there. Today, fungi are responsible for about 1.5 million deaths annually, with rates tending to be higher. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have exacerbated the global scenario.

In parallel, the emergence of drug-resistant fungal strains is another challenge that needs to be addressed. As with antibiotics and bacteriostatics, new medicines are needed To combat fungus.

For example, in Brazil, The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) reported the first case of meningitis caused by a fungus species Penicillium chrysanthemum last year. The researchers said the infection in the teen’s brain was fatal. Among the reasons is the fact that it has not responded to standard antifungal treatments, which only reinforces the public health emergency even though our country is an ocean’s distance away from Africa.

source: Parasite immunity that it Conversation

Trending on Canaltech: