Author(s): Alex Croft

Killer fungus could spread through parts of Europe due to climate change

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Aspergillus can cause lung problems when it spreads to humans.

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Aspergillus, a which can cause lung and breathing problems if it infects a human, may infect millions of people a year as it spreads to more northerly countries in , Asia and America due to rising temperatures, the study shows.

Norman van Rhijn, the Wellcome Trust research fellow at who co-authored the study, said the world is nearing a tipping point regarding the rise of fungal , which thrive in a large variety of environments including inside houses.

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Inhaling its spores does not make everyone ill, but the deadly can be particularly threatening to those with conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis or a weakened immune system.

But fungal research shows Aspergillus fumigatus could spread across an additional 77 per cent of territory by the year 2100 as a result of the world’s heavy use of fossil fuels, potentially exposing nine million people in Europe to the infection, according to the FT.

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