Health and Science Story

09 January 2009 21:59 BST

Breakthrough in killer fungus sex life

Scientists have made a major breakthrough in understanding the sex life of a deadly fungus.

Experts from the University of Nottingham and University College Dublin claim the discovery of a sexual cycle in the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus is highly significant in understanding the biology and evolution of the species.

The microscopic fungus is a major cause of death in immune deficient patients and also a cause of severe asthma.

It is hoped the discovery will shed new light on the ability of the fungus to adapt to new environments and its resistance to antifungal drugs, whilst resulting in new ways of controlling the deadly disease and improve treatment.

"This discovery is significant for providing both good and bad news," author Dr Dyer said.

"The bad news is that we now know that Aspergillus fumigatus can reproduce sexually, meaning that it is more likely to become resistant to antifungal drugs in a shorter period, and the sexual spores are better at surviving harsh environmental conditions.

"The good news is that we can use the newly discovered sexual cycle as a valuable tool in laboratory experiments to try to work out how the fungus causes disease and triggers asthmatic reactions. Once we understand the genetic basis of disease we can then look forward to devising methods to control and overcome the fungus."

Experts claim spores of the fungus are widespread in the atmosphere and estimate that everybody inhales around 200 spores every day.

It is the most prevalent airborne fungal pathogen due to its ability to cause infections in hosts with a weakened immune system, with at least a 50 per cent mortality rate in humans.