Overview

• MaxEnt models project that Aspergillus fumigatus could expand its European range by up to 77% by 2100, potentially exposing nine million more individuals to life-threatening respiratory infections.
• Aspergillus flavus is projected to spread by 16% under high fossil fuel emissions, raising risks of aflatoxin contamination that threatens both human health and food security.
• Current estimates attribute 2.5 million deaths annually to fungal infections, with invasive aspergillosis carrying a mortality rate between 20% and 40%, and certain A. fumigatus strains reaching up to 85% fatality.
• Diagnostic and treatment options remain limited and under-researched compared to viral and parasitic diseases, complicating efforts to detect and manage emerging Aspergillus outbreaks.
• The World Health Organization designated A. flavus as a critical fungal pathogen in 2022, underscoring calls for enhanced surveillance and climate-adapted healthcare strategies.