Deadly Fungi Are Here, and They’re Spreading
Unlike “The Last of Us,” virulent fungal disease isn't a work of science fiction.
Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungus responsible for severe infections such as aspergilloma.
Photographer: BSIP/Universal Images Group EditorialWhat spoils our crops, kills about six times more people than malaria every year and is breathed in by each of us every single day? It’s not a virus or bacteria, but something even more formidable: fungi.
Aspergillus spores, for example, are ubiquitous in our environment. Most of the time, this group of molds cause no harm, but exposure to a pathogenic variety such as Aspergillus fumigatus or Aspergillus flavus can make an unlucky few, typically those with weakened immune systems or lung ailments, extremely ill. Invasive aspergillosis, for example, is a disease caused by spores invading lung tissue. An estimated 2.1 million people globally develop the disease every year, and 1.8 million people die.