Emerging fungal threats to animal, plant and ecosystem health.
TL;DR: It is argued that nascent fungal infections will cause increasing attrition of biodiversity, with wider implications for human and ecosystem health, unless steps are taken to tighten biosecurity worldwide.
Abstract: The past two decades have seen an increasing number of virulent infectious diseases in natural populations and managed landscapes. In both animals and plants, an unprecedented number of fungal and fungal-like diseases have recently caused some of the most severe die-offs and extinctions ever witnessed in wild species, and are jeopardizing food security. Human activity is intensifying fungal disease dispersal by modifying natural environments and thus creating new opportunities for evolution. We argue that nascent fungal infections will cause increasing attrition of biodiversity, with wider implications for human and ecosystem health, unless steps are taken to tighten biosecurity worldwide.
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TL;DR: The importance of fungi as human pathogens is highlighted and the challenges the authors face in combating the devastating invasive infections caused by these microorganisms are discussed, in particular in immunocompromised individuals.
Abstract: Although fungal infections contribute substantially to human morbidity and mortality, the impact of these diseases on human health is not widely appreciated. Moreover, despite the urgent need for efficient diagnostic tests and safe and effective new drugs and vaccines, research into the pathophysiology of human fungal infections lags behind that of diseases caused by other pathogens. In this Review, we highlight the importance of fungi as human pathogens and discuss the challenges we face in combating the devastating invasive infections caused by these microorganisms, in particular in immunocompromised individuals.
3,125 citations
Cites background from "Emerging fungal threats to animal, ..."
...Indeed, a recent report detailed the extraordinary and frightening impact of these pathogens on species extinctions, food security, and ecosystem disturbances (1)....
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...gattii infections could emerge as an even greater threat to public health (1)....
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TL;DR: To avoid a global collapse in the ability to control fungal infections and to avoid critical failures in medicine and food security, the authors must improve the stewardship of extant chemicals, promote new antifungal discovery, and leverage emerging technologies for alternative solutions.
Abstract: The recent rate of emergence of pathogenic fungi that are resistant to the limited number of commonly used antifungal agents is unprecedented. The azoles, for example, are used not only for human and animal health care and crop protection but also in antifouling coatings and timber preservation. The ubiquity and multiple uses of azoles have hastened the independent evolution of resistance in many environments. One consequence is an increasing risk in human health care from naturally occurring opportunistic fungal pathogens that have acquired resistance to this broad class of chemicals. To avoid a global collapse in our ability to control fungal infections and to avoid critical failures in medicine and food security, we must improve our stewardship of extant chemicals, promote new antifungal discovery, and leverage emerging technologies for alternative solutions.
807 citations
University of Melbourne1, Australian National University2, Ghent University3, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile4, University of Pamplona5, University of Puerto Rico6, State University of Campinas7, Florida International University8, Spanish National Research Council9, Imperial College London10, Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute11, University of Los Andes12, North-West University13, Zoological Society of London14, Smithsonian Institution15, Colorado State University16, Universidad San Francisco de Quito17, Museum für Naturkunde18, Massey University19, University of Maryland, College Park20, University of Florida21, University of the Republic22, Cornell University23, Georgia Institute of Technology24, National Autonomous University of Mexico25, University of Pittsburgh26, Instituto Politécnico Nacional27, Andrés Bello National University28, University of Nevada, Reno29, Zoo Miami30, Natural History Museum31
TL;DR: A global, quantitative assessment of the amphibian chytridiomycosis panzootic demonstrates its role in the decline of at least 501 amphibian species over the past half-century and represents the greatest recorded loss of biodiversity attributable to a disease.
Abstract: Anthropogenic trade and development have broken down dispersal barriers, facilitating the spread of diseases that threaten Earth's biodiversity. We present a global, quantitative assessment of the amphibian chytridiomycosis panzootic, one of the most impactful examples of disease spread, and demonstrate its role in the decline of at least 501 amphibian species over the past half-century, including 90 presumed extinctions. The effects of chytridiomycosis have been greatest in large-bodied, range-restricted anurans in wet climates in the Americas and Australia. Declines peaked in the 1980s, and only 12% of declined species show signs of recovery, whereas 39% are experiencing ongoing decline. There is risk of further chytridiomycosis outbreaks in new areas. The chytridiomycosis panzootic represents the greatest recorded loss of biodiversity attributable to a disease.
680 citations
Stellenbosch University1, Charles University in Prague2, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic3, Canterbury of New Zealand4, University of Tennessee5, University of Fribourg6, Zoological Society of London7, University College London8, Williams College9, Durham University10, University of Vienna11, South African National Parks12, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources13, Leibniz Association14, Free University of Berlin15, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg16, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ17, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague18, United States Forest Service19, University of Toronto20, University of Rhode Island21, University of Concepción22, University of Konstanz23, Taizhou University24, University of Seville25, Spanish National Research Council26, University of Pretoria27
TL;DR: Improved international cooperation is crucial to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods, as synergies with other global changes are exacerbating current invasions and facilitating new ones, thereby escalating the extent and impacts of invaders.
Abstract: Biological invasions are a global consequence of an increasingly connected world and the rise in human population size The numbers of invasive alien species – the subset of alien species that spread widely in areas where they are not native, affecting the environment or human livelihoods – are increasing Synergies with other global changes are exacerbating current invasions and facilitating new ones, thereby escalating the extent and impacts of invaders Invasions have complex and often immense long‐term direct and indirect impacts In many cases, such impacts become apparent or problematic only when invaders are well established and have large ranges Invasive alien species break down biogeographic realms, affect native species richness and abundance, increase the risk of native species extinction, affect the genetic composition of native populations, change native animal behaviour, alter phylogenetic diversity across communities, and modify trophic networks Many invasive alien species also change ecosystem functioning and the delivery of ecosystem services by altering nutrient and contaminant cycling, hydrology, habitat structure, and disturbance regimes These biodiversity and ecosystem impacts are accelerating and will increase further in the future Scientific evidence has identified policy strategies to reduce future invasions, but these strategies are often insufficiently implemented For some nations, notably Australia and New Zealand, biosecurity has become a national priority There have been long‐term successes, such as eradication of rats and cats on increasingly large islands and biological control of weeds across continental areas However, in many countries, invasions receive little attention Improved international cooperation is crucial to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods Countries can strengthen their biosecurity regulations to implement and enforce more effective management strategies that should also address other global changes that interact with invasions
677 citations
Cites background from "Emerging fungal threats to animal, ..."
...This is largely due to their small size, taxonomic challenges, and difficulties in determining whether taxa are native or alien in particular environments (Fisher et al., 2012; Cowan et al., 2013; Crous, Hawksworth, & Wingfield, 2015; Thakur et al., 2019)....
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...…some important groups of organisms, particularly many invertebrates and microorganisms, data on alien species distributions are still very limited (Fisher et al., 2012; Thakur et al., 2019), and regional biases also exist in terms of data availability associated with socioeconomic status and…...
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...Alien species are also a significant source of ‘pathogen pollution’ (the human-mediated introduction of pathogens to new hosts or regions; Fisher et al., 2012; Roy et al., 2017)....
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TL;DR: Observations of hundreds of pests and pathogens reveal an average poleward shift of 2.7±0.8 km yr−1 since 1960, supporting the hypothesis of climate-driven pest movement.
Abstract: The extent to which crop pests and pathogens have altered their latitudinal ranges in response to climate change remains largely unknown. Now observations of hundreds of pests and pathogens reveal an average poleward shift of 2.7±0.8 km yr−1 since 1960, supporting the hypothesis of climate-driven pest movement.
672 citations
References
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TL;DR: It is concluded that global resources to counter disease emergence are poorly allocated, with the majority of the scientific and surveillance effort focused on countries from where the next important EID is least likely to originate.
Abstract: Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a significant burden on global economies and public health. Their emergence is thought to be driven largely by socio-economic, environmental and ecological factors, but no comparative study has explicitly analysed these linkages to understand global temporal and spatial patterns of EIDs. Here we analyse a database of 335 EID 'events' (origins of EIDs) between 1940 and 2004, and demonstrate non-random global patterns. EID events have risen significantly over time after controlling for reporting bias, with their peak incidence (in the 1980s) concomitant with the HIV pandemic. EID events are dominated by zoonoses (60.3% of EIDs): the majority of these (71.8%) originate in wildlife (for example, severe acute respiratory virus, Ebola virus), and are increasing significantly over time. We find that 54.3% of EID events are caused by bacteria or rickettsia, reflecting a large number of drug-resistant microbes in our database. Our results confirm that EID origins are significantly correlated with socio-economic, environmental and ecological factors, and provide a basis for identifying regions where new EIDs are most likely to originate (emerging disease 'hotspots'). They also reveal a substantial risk of wildlife zoonotic and vector-borne EIDs originating at lower latitudes where reporting effort is low. We conclude that global resources to counter disease emergence are poorly allocated, with the majority of the scientific and surveillance effort focused on countries from where the next important EID is least likely to originate.
5,992 citations
"Emerging fungal threats to animal, ..." refers methods in this paper
...Data was acquired from the following review sources [1‐9] and...
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TL;DR: These phenomena have two major biological implications: many wildlife species are reservoirs of pathogens that threaten domestic animal and human health; second, wildlife EIDs pose a substantial threat to the conservation of global biodiversity.
Abstract: Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) of free-living wild animals can be classified into three major groups on the basis of key epizootiological criteria: (i) EIDs associated with “spill-over” from domestic animals to wildlife populations living in proximity; (ii) EIDs related directly to human intervention, via host or parasite translocations; and (iii) EIDs with no overt human or domestic animal involvement. These phenomena have two major biological implications: first, many wildlife species are reservoirs of pathogens that threaten domestic animal and human health; second, wildlife EIDs pose a substantial threat to the conservation of global biodiversity.
3,757 citations
"Emerging fungal threats to animal, ..." refers methods in this paper
...Data was acquired from the following review sources [1‐9] and...
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TL;DR: The first global assessment of amphibians provides new context for the well-publicized phenomenon of amphibian declines and shows declines are nonrandom in terms of species' ecological preferences, geographic ranges, and taxonomic associations and are most prevalent among Neotropical montane, stream-associated species.
Abstract: The first global assessment of amphibians provides new context for the well-publicized phenomenon of amphibian declines. Amphibians are more threatened and are declining more rapidly than either birds or mammals. Although many declines are due to habitat loss and overutilization, other, unidentified processes threaten 48% of rapidly declining species and are driving species most quickly to extinction. Declines are nonrandom in terms of species' ecological preferences, geographic ranges, and taxonomic associations and are most prevalent among Neotropical montane, stream-associated species. The lack of conservation remedies for these poorly understood declines means that hundreds of amphibian species now face extinction.
3,616 citations