A killer fungus is set to spread through new parts of Europe as temperatures rise, according to new research. Aspergillus, a type of mould which can cause lung and breathing problems, may infect millions of people annually as it spreads to more northern countries.
The fungus could spread across an additional 77 per cent of territory by 2100 due to the world's heavy use of fossil fuels.
This expansion could potentially expose nine million Europeans to infection, researchers warn.
Scientists suggest the world is nearing a tipping point regarding the rise of fungal pathogens.
The pathogen causes a lung disease that can spread to other human organs
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Aspergillus causes aspergillosis, a lung disease that can spread to other human organs.
Not everyone who inhales the fungal spores becomes ill. However, the deadly fungus poses a particular threat to vulnerable groups.
Those with conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis or weakened immune systems face the greatest risk.
The species can grow quickly in high temperatures, explaining why it thrives in the 37°C internal temperature of the human body.
Despite its dangers, Aspergillus also has positive applications and is used in industrial and food production. It plays a role in the fermentation of products like soy sauce and sake.
Norman van Rhijn, a Wellcome Trust research fellow at Manchester University who co-authored the study, offered a stark warning.
"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," he told the FT.
Professor Elaine Bignell from Exeter University explained the fungus's success: "Its lifestyle in the natural environment may have provided Aspergillus fumigatus with the fitness advantage needed to colonise human lungs."
Professor Darius Armstrong-James from Imperial College London added: "There are serious threats from this organism both in terms of human health and food security."
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The rise of fungal pathogens may be nearing a tipping point
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Aspergillus fumigatus could spread across an additional 77 per cent of territory by the year 2100 as global temperatures rise.
Another species, Aspergillus flavus, which lives on crops, could spread to an added 16 per cent of territory.
New affected regions may include north China, Russia, Scandinavia, and Alaska.
While the fungus expands northward, some existing areas in African countries and Brazil may become inhospitable.
This geographical shift could damage local ecosystems in these regions.
Fungal infections are expected to be a factor in millions of deaths worldwide each year as their range expands.
