Killer Plant Fungus: Can Fungal Infection Affect Humans? Signs, Symptoms And Treatment

According to the report, a serious disease known as Killer Plant Fungus infected a man in Kolkata, becoming the world’s first case.

Killer Plant Fungus: Whether due to the Covid-19 pandemic or the Ebola virus, the last ten years have seen a series of unprecedented health crises. Seasonal viruses have developed a mutation that is causing a health emergency. The world has seen it all, whether it’s the H3N2 flu, monkeypox, or the Marburg virus. Now this time it is another major virus that is causing quite a stir among humans. According to a report, a serious illness known as killer plant fungus infected a Kolkata man, making it the world’s first case. The man was diagnosed with a fungal disease that usually infects plants. The patient was a plant mycologist, and the researchers used his case to discover that diseases that only affect plants can also infect humans.

What is killer plant fungus?

A plant fungus called Chondrostereum purpureum attacks plants, especially those in the Rosaceae family, causing silver leaf disease. The progressive silvering of the leaves on the affected branches gave rise to the name of the disease. The fungus is a typical plant pathogen known to cause damage to fruit trees such as apples, cherries, and plums. It is usually spread through spores produced by infected plants and can survive in the soil for several years. In humans, it is an extremely rare cause of infection. But, this is the first instance of a plant fungus causing disease in a human.

What are the symptoms?

Killer Plant Fungus symptoms included a hoarse voice, cough, fatigue, anorexia, and difficulty swallowing. According to the website sciencedirect.com which shared the research report, “hosts with a compromised immune system are the most vulnerable to fungal infections, but healthy and immunocompetent individuals are also frequently reported to have fungal infections. In this situation, infections may be associated with exposure to a large inoculum.”

Should humans be worried?

The researchers said that while this was a very rare case, recurrent exposure to decaying material may be the cause of this infection. Since the patient was a plant mycologist, it is possible that he was working closely with infected plants. “This fungal infection was evident from gross and microscopic morphology, but the nature of the infection, the potential for dissemination, etc. could not be determined. Even when the sequencing report identified it as a plant fungus a few weeks later, the literature search failed to reveal any reports of such infection in human subjects,” the report says. Therefore, there is no need to worry about human beings.

According to the doctors who treated the patient, “recurrent exposure to decaying material may be the cause of this rare infection.” Although fungal infections in humans are very rare, this case highlights the importance of taking the necessary precautions when working with plant fungi to avoid cross-infection.