Cited by 3,310Plant Pathogens and Fungal DiseasesZoonotic diseases and public healthFungal Infections and Studies

Emerging fungal threats to animal, plant and ecosystem health

Open access
Fisher, Matthew C., Henk, Daniel. A., Briggs, Cheryl J., Brownstein, John S., Madoff, Lawrence C., McCraw, Sarah L., Gurr, Sarah J.·2012·Nature

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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  • Microbes including animal and plant pathogens are arguably the most poorly documented of all invasive alien species.

    “Microbes including animal and plant pathogens are arguably the most poorly documented of all IAS.”

    From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Fisher et al., 2012

    In “Increasing risk of biodiversity loss by Fungi” (page not available), the paper says fungal disease impacts are difficult to detect and records are limited by inadequate diagnostics and reporting. That supports poor documentation for fungal pathogens, but not the broader claim about all microbes or the comparison with every other kind of invasive alien species. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Alien species are a significant source of pathogen pollution.

    “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).”

    From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Fisher et al., 2012

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [34]Daszak P Cunningham AA Hyatt AD Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife—threats to biodiversity and human health Science 287 443 449 2000 10642539

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Authors
Fisher, M. C., Henk, D. A., Briggs, C. J., Brownstein, J. S., Madoff, L. C., McCraw, S. L., & Gurr, S. J.
Affiliations
  • Imperial College London (GB)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
  • Boston Children's Hospital (US)
  • University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (US)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Fisher, Matthew C.
  • Gurr, Sarah J.
Venue
Nature
Published
2012-04
Volume
484
Issue
7393
Pages
186-194
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2137037625
Cited by
3,310
References
121
Citations by year
2026: 223 · 2025: 259 · 2024: 279 · 2023: 249 · 2022: 279 · 2021: 319 · 2020: 281 · 2019: 255 · 2018: 205 · 2017: 233 · 2016: 215 · 2015: 156 · 2014: 168 · 2013: 137 · 2012: 47
FWCI
15.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-08-BDVA-0002)
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/G00207X/1, BB/J008923/1, BB/E00282X/1)
  • Natural Environment Research Council (NE/G001944/1)
  • U.S. National Library of Medicine (R01LM010812)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Zoonotic diseases and public health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Fungal Infections and Studies
Keywords
emerging fungal infections, fungal pathogens, biosecurity, biodiversity loss, amphibian chytridiomycosis, bat fungal disease, coral disease, bee diseases, plant pathogenic fungi, crop yield loss, food security, disease dispersal, ecosystem health, international trade regulation, host-pathogen interaction
MeSH terms
Animals, Food Supply, Fungi, Humans, Mycoses, Plants, Virulence, Ecosystem, Communicable Diseases, Emerging, Extinction, Biological

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