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However, their large genomes and diverse metabolic pathways – the chemical reactions which allow organisms to function – are thought to play a key role in their ability to survive and grow in a wide range of conditions.) A 2022 study noted that higher temperatures driven by human-caused climate change may have added selective pressure" on candida auris – leading to the spread of strains "adapted to salinity and higher temperatures – similar to the conditions found in the human body". For instance, the fungus coccidioides, which is found in soils in the south-western US and parts of central and South America, causes valley fever – a lung infection which can be fatal to humans and animals. This poses a major threat to the global banana trade, given that the Cavendish banana accounts for 47% of banana production and virtually all bananas supplied to the US and Europe."