The June 2023 issue of Medical Mycology Case Reports describes the case of a 61-year-old man who was exposed to a plant fungus that gave him a throat infection, marking the first time a human has gotten sick from a plant fungus.
Scientists used DNA tests to figure out the source of the man's infection, which was Chondrostereum purpureum, a type of fungus that causes silver leaf disease in plants.
Fungal infections are more common in people with weak immune systems, but even healthy people can get them, especially if they're around a lot of the fungus. There are many differences between plants and animals, making it harder for a fungus to attack both types of organisms. However, there's growing evidence that changes in our environment, like global warming, can lead to new fungal infections that affect people and animals.
The man was treated by removing the infected fluid and taking antifungal medication. Two years later, he was still healthy and had no signs of the infection coming back.
