World’s First Case of Plant Fungus Infection Found in Indian Man

CNN Indonesia

Friday, 31 Mar 2023 07:30 WIB

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

A man in India reported to be infected with the fungus plant. This case became the first human plant fungal infection in the world.

This case study is reported in the journal Medical Mycology Case Reports. The 61-year-old man reportedly came to Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata, India with complaints of hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, sore throat and fatigue.

The man, who is a mycologist, had no underlying health conditions that put him at high risk of transmission. Not explained with certainty also when the man consumed the mushroom.

The doctor then did x-ray and CT scan on the man. X-ray results on the chest showed normal results. However, the CT scan showed a paratracheal abscess in his neck.

Paratracheal abscesses themselves can block the airways and cause life-threatening infections if not treated quickly.

Collect New York Postthe infection is then treated with anti-fungal therapy and surgical drainage of the pus.

The pus was then sent to a World Health Organization (WHO) collaboration center in India for testing. The patient was then given an antifungal drug which was taken for two months.

After two years of follow-up, the man was declared free of yeast infection without any particular complications. There is also no evidence to suggest reinfection is possible.

Doctors diagnosed the man with a fungal infection Chondrosterium purple. The last name is a fungus that usually causes disease on plant leaves.

When the plant is exposed, the leaves will turn silver and pale. This fungus is spread by airborne spores.

Researchers believe the man contracted it while conducting research as a plant mycologist.

However, the researchers said that until now there is no evidence that humans can be infected by this fungus.

“Over the past decades, many new fungi have emerged. Worsening global warming and other activity opened a ‘Pandora’s box’ for new fungal diseases,” the researchers wrote.

(asr/asr)