At least two people were killed after being infected with highly dangerous drug-resistant fungi that scientists say thrive in the human body. According to experts, the never-seen-before fungus - called Rhodosporidiobolus fluvialis thrives in warmer climates including the human body.

Typically, the warm body temperatures of humans offer greater protection against fungal infections.

However, a new study, published in Nature Microbiology has found that this specific bug thrives and has become resistant to antifungal drugs. Statistics say there are an estimated 6.5 million invasive fungal infections and 3.8 million deaths from fungal diseases each year globally. Of those deaths, about 2.5 million or 68 per cent are directly attributable to fungal disease. These figures are almost double the World Health Organization's 2022 estimate, which said 1.7 million people die each year.

According to experts, the discovery of this strain’s scary mutations has raised massive concerns as many feel it could be the after-effects of climate change that make fungal infections even more dangerous to humans. R. fluvialis, was discovered in the blood of two unrelated patients for the first time.

In a study, a team of scientists from a Chinese Hospital Invasive Fungal Surveillance Net programme took fungi samples from patients who had died across China between 2009 and 2019. One of the patients was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and kidney pain before he passed away. Researchers say he was prescribed antifungal medication but could not survive multi-organ failure. The same fungus was found in another elderly patient who despite being treated for the infection also died. He was suffering from various other issues when he was admitted, including heart disease and respiratory failure due to pneumonia.

Researchers said they tested the fungus in immunocompromised mice and found that the pathogen thrived inside their bodies.

According to experts, some of the strains of Rhodosporidiobolus fluvialis show rapid mutations into more extreme forms when exposed to higher temperatures, with some samples mutating more than 20 times faster at 37 Degrees Celsius compared to cultures kept at 25 Degrees Celsius.

This ability to rapidly adapt shows how global warming is leading to the emergence of fungal pathogens with resistance to drugs, even as another fungus – candida auris is also so spreading at an alarming rate.

According to doctors, there are many reasons why fungal infections develop, a few of which include:

If you sweat a lot due to working in a warm, humid environment, your chances of a fungal infection increase. Since fungi need a warm and moist environment to grow, their spores significantly grow.

Doctors say poor blood circulation raises your risk of fungi which hinders your immune response and decreases your body’s ability to fight off an infection.

In menopausal women, hormonal changes reduce the acidity in the vagina, making them vulnerable to vaginal yeast infections.

If your immunity levels are down, it can cause vulnerability to fungal infections. According to doctors, nutrient deficiencies, immunodeficiency disorders, smoking, and even stress impair your immune function.