WHO Releases First-ever Fungal Priority Pathogen List

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the first-ever priority pathogen list — which includes 19 fungi — to identify fungi which pose the greatest threat to public health.

• This systematic prioritisation will help address the perceived public health importance and satisfy the unmet needs in the research and development sector.
• The list takes precedence from the bacterial priority pathogens list, first established by WHO in 2017 with a similar focus to galvanise global attention and action.
• The global health body’s fungal priority pathogen list was released October 25, 2022. It has been divided into three categories —  critical, high and medium priority.

Highlights of the report:

• Fungal pathogens are a major threat to public health as they are becoming increasingly common and resistant to treatment with only four classes of antifungal medicines currently available, and few candidates in the clinical pipeline.
• Most fungal pathogens lack rapid and sensitive diagnostics and those that exist are not widely available or affordable globally.
• The list’s publication is opportune as fungi are becoming an increasingly common threat to public health. Global warming and increasing international travel and trade are fuelling this rise.
• The COVID-19 pandemic saw an increase in mucormycosis or black fungus infections among those hospitalised.
• Black Fungus, White Fungus, Yellow Fungus, and Green Fungus have been attributed to COVID-19 and led to prolonged morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients.
• A three-layered approach emerged in the strategies suggested by policymakers, governments and public health professionals.

The strategy includes:

• Strengthening laboratory capacity and surveillance.
• Sustaining investments in research, development and innovation
• Enhancing public health interventions for prevention and control.

Mucormycosis or Black Fungus

• Increased cases of Black Fungus or Mucormycosis have been observed in COVID-19 patients in the national capital.

The symptoms of Black Fungus infection are:

• For Brain Mucormycosis: One-sided facial swelling, Headache, Nasal or sinus congestion, Black lesions on nasal bridge or upper inside of the mouth, Fever.
• For Pulmonary Mucormycosis: Fever, Cough, Chest pain, Shortness of breath
• For Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis: Abdominal pain, Nausea and vomiting, Gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Risks of getting infected with Black Fungus: Diabetes, Cancer, Organ transplant, Stem cell transplant, Neutropenia, Long-term corticosteroid use, Hemochromatosis (excess of iron), Skin injury due to surgery, burns, or wounds etc.