After a killer fungus hit headlines this week, a Manchester scientist has revealed why this deadly threat of global warming is definitely something to fear
17:09, 10 May 2025Updated 17:10, 10 May 2025
Fossil fuels are driving rising temperatures that could spread deadly pathogens across the globe(Image: PA)
In the hit TV series The Last Of Us, a mutant fungus spreads through humans, transforming them into zombies.
While the show is a work of science fiction, a new study from scientists at the University of Manchester reveals a disturbing reality: the risk of fungal infections in the UK and across Europe is rising.
The lead researcher behind the study has explained why Manchester, in particular, is becoming a “hotbed” for these dangerous fungal diseases – and warned that climate change is only going to make the situation far worse.
The study looked at Aspergillus, a type of mould found all around us – in soil, dust, damp buildings, and even bedding. If breathed in, the mould can affect the lungs, cause breathing problems and, in rare cases, cause serious infection or death.
Researchers looked at three common fungi – Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger – and found that shifts in the climate could lead to the fungi spreading to more northerly countries in Asia, America and Europe, including the UK.
Brits are often exposed to fungi from mould in damp homes(Image: Getty Images)
The world is now approaching a “tipping point” in the rise of fungal pathogens, according to Dr Norman van Rhijn, lead author of the study and a researcher who specialises in fungal infections and microbial evolution at the University of Manchester.
Due to rising global temperatures and climate change, things like humidity and extreme weather events will change the way these deadly fungi spread.
Fungal infections will be a factor in millions of deaths worldwide each year, warns van Rhijn, who found that one species, Aspergillus fumigatus, could spread to an additional 77 per cent of territory by 2100 if the world continues to heavily use fossil fuels – and an extra nine million people in Europe could be exposed to the infection.
“What was really surprising that, even in these moderate climate models where we pulled back in fossil fuel use and we really hit the targets, there is still going to be an impact and we’re still going to see different fungal pathogens moving into the UK,” Dr van Rhijn told the Manchester Evening News.
Climate change is driving the spread of a killer fungus that could infect millions of people a year(Image: PA)
“Fungi are everywhere,” he added. “We’ve already seen that fungal outbreaks are linked to extreme weather events. Because they are so vast, that comes with every type of extreme event like drought, flooding, tornadoes. There’s always a fungus to pick up the scraps.”
Last year was the hottest year on record, with 2024 becoming the first year for average temperatures to exceed the threshold of 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures – a target established in the Paris Agreement in 2015 where 195 parties pledged to tackle climate change.
In a world within the 1.5C threshold, experts say that many of the deadliest effects of climate change – extreme weather, food scarcity, and the spread of infectious diseases – are reduced.
However, Dr van Rhijn warns that, even if climate targets are met, we’re probably going to see new fungal diseases popping up over the next 50 years.
There are three major ways in which Dr van Rhijn says fungal pathogens could pose a threat as the climate shifts. One is the spread of existing fungi, which are more common in tropical areas, moving into the UK as temperatures rise.
Manchester is a ‘hotbed’ for fungal infections, experts warn(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Another is the emergence of pathogens we haven’t heard of. The fungus Candida auris, for example, was first identified in 2009 and is believed to be the first fungal pathogen that emerged due to climate change.
The third is the risk of evolution of existing fungi. “As things become warmer, different fungi evolve to adapt to that and that could have impacts in terms of drug resistance and how virulent they are,” van Rhijn explains.
This poses a significant risk to humans, whose key “barrier of defence” is that our bodies – at around 37C – are quite warm relative to the environment.
“As the environment becomes hotter and things adapt to that, they also might adapt to be able to live inside our bodies. That’s the fear,” he warns.
Aspergillus can cause severe lung infections and death in serious cases(Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Fungal infections are also particularly hard to treat, making the development of new antifungals particularly complicated. This is because the structure of fungi is surprisingly similar to that of animals, Dr van Rhijn says.
“In terms of their subcellular structure they are actually quite like us, so they are difficult to treat without the treatment being toxic to ourselves,” he explains.
He also warns that researchers have noted an expansion of people becoming unwell from fungal infections. Most people who breathe in the Aspergillus mould do not get ill, the NHS says, but people at risk of serious infection include those with asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD, heavy smokers, and those undergoing cancer treatment and organ transplants.
“We’ve potentially got a concoction of things that will contribute to this problem,” Dr van Rhijn warns.
Manchester: The damp and mould ‘hotbed’
Mould, which thrives in damp conditions, is thought to affect around two million homes in England, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak because of mould in his Rochdale home in 2020, the Manchester Evening News led the Awaab’s Law campaign demanding legal reforms to protect tenants from unsafe living conditions.
Aspergillus mould is found in compost, plants, and damp buildings(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The first measures of the campaign will be introduced in October 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced. Landlords for social housing in England will have to fix damp and mouldy properties more quickly and could be taken to court if they fail to meet timeframes.
Dr van Rhijn warns that Brits are often exposed to Aspergillus niger, the black mould you typically see on bathrooms and walls that can cause a whole host of health problems.
“Manchester is a real hotbed for fungal infections,” he says. “We’ve got a lot of people at risk here but also a lot of damp houses where people are constantly exposed to these fungi. It’s a localised problem that we’re trying to address at a global level.”
As well as the city being a potential breeding ground for fungi, Dr van Rhijn says Manchester is also a “powerhouse” in vital fungal research. The Mycology Reference Centre Manchester (MRCM), based at wythenshawe-hospital>Wythenshawe Hospital, plays a key role in diagnosing and researching fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients.
Aiding this is ongoing research at the University of Manchester. Dr van Rhijn says his team plans to conduct “rapid evolution” studies in the lab to see how different fungal species evolve with rising temperatures, and the potential risks they pose.