Until now, lead disease only affected fruit trees. But for the first time, two researchers indians came across a human being affected by the phytopathogenic fungus Chondrosterium purpleresponsible for’infectionreports Science and Future this Friday.
In their study published in Medical Mycology Case ReportsTHE scientists explained that they had been confronted with a 61-year-old patient suffering from several ailments. The man had a persistent cough, significant hoarseness, severe fatigue, anorexia for three months and difficulty swallowing.
A fungus that attacks fruit trees
His trachea had an abscess. The researchers tried to determine the nature of the pathogenic element having caused it, which the usual microscopic analyzes had not made it possible to identify. It was by sequencing the fungus that the authors of the study understood that they were dealing with the Chondrosterium purple and that it was therefore a first.
Indeed, this fungus was previously known to infect plants, especially fruit trees, and not humans. Affected plants saw their leaves tarnish and take on a dark color, hence the name “lead disease” attributed to this infection. If the fungus is not treated, it leads to a purplish sporophore which spreads over the wood and leads almost inexorably to the death of the tree.
An infection often by “the respiratory tract”
However, this fungus is not the only one that can affect humans. ” Genre Fusarium, which attacks cereals in particular, can cause eye damage,” explained Professor Laurence Lachaud, from the parasitology-mycology department of Montpellier University Hospital (Hérault). I’ustilago maydis is also another example and can cause sinusitis or bronchopulmonary diseases in humans.
The infection is generally done by “the respiratory tract” according to the specialist. “We are constantly breathing in mushroom spores. Also, it is quite likely that many other plant fungi cause sinus damage,” she explained. The Indian patient, a mycologist, was able to be treated following surgery and antifungal treatment.
