HBO’s success, The Last of Us series takes place during a hypothetical pandemic caused by a fungus, the Cordyceps. After three years of Covid-19, viewers were worried: To date, most health emergencies have been triggered by viruses, but is a new pandemic caused by fungi possible?
Biologist and professor at UnB Patrícia Albuquerque, who has a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (USA), says that the apocalyptic scenario is indeed possible. However, and fortunately, it is very unlikely.
The expert explains that there are a few hundred species of fungi of the genus Cordyceps, responsible for the pandemic in the series. But these organisms are all well adapted to parasitize insects and other arthropods, making it difficult for them to pass between humans.
“There are many differences between insects and mammals, and one of them is our body temperature. Very few fungi are capable of growing at 37 degrees Celsius”, says the biologist.
One concern of those who study fungi is global warming: with the rise in temperatures worldwide, fungi might adapt to the new reality and, in the future, end up surviving in the heat of the human body.
According to Patricia, in addition to Cordyceps, there are other fungi that might produce a change in human behavior, but nothing like that portrayed in the series, in which the infected turn into a kind of zombie. An example is hallucinogenic mushrooms, which generate toxins that can cause psychotic effects for a certain time in the user.
Another difference between the fungus in the series and real life is the route of transmission. In the fictional world, infected people pass the fungus to others through bites. In real life, infection happens much easier: just touch a contaminated surface (as in the case of the pathogen responsible for chilblains) or inhale the spores (which is the way Cryptococcus is contaminated, which can cause meningitis).
Are there any fungi with pandemic potential?
The biologist explains that we have contact with various types of fungus all the time, but most of the time they are opportunistic, that is, they only cause disease if the patient has some type of immunocompromise.
“When you talk regarding fungal infections today, there is an extremely limited number of drugs that can be used to treat these diseases. And in recent years, we’re seeing an increase in the number of fungi that are resistant to drugs, such as superfungi. So it may be that, in the near future, we do have some fungus that has evolved enough to have pandemic potential”, points out the specialist.
Among the superfungi already recorded, the candida auris is one of the most highlighted in the media in recent times. In general, strains of this species are resistant to at least two or more of the five main classes of antifungals and mainly affect people who are in the intensive care unit (ICU). That is, although serious, it affects a more restricted population.
In the event of a fungal pandemic, would it be possible to cure it with a vaccine?
In The Last of Us series, the survivors want to produce a vaccine to fight the fungus from a girl immune to the fungus. Cordyceps. But can this come true?
So far, there is no vaccine for fungal diseases — even Patrícia says that it is quite unlikely to produce an immunizer to dribble the organisms from an immune patient.
In the case of fungal infections that develop in the body, the body’s defenses are already compromised. Therefore, the administration of an immunizer would not be as effective, since it is dealing with a basically inoperative immune system, which would not be “activated” strongly enough to fight the invasion.
It’s a problem that happens with immunocompromised patients and the Covid-19 vaccine, for example. For these people, it is necessary to reapply several boosters to ensure the effectiveness of the defense.
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