When we talk about fungi, most people think about mushrooms or mold. There are millions of types of fungi that exist in the world – some of which can cause infections in humans.
In the hit HBO limited series The Last of Us, a fungal infection known as ophiocordyceps spreads rapidly throughout the world – leading to a post-apocalyptic reality. Could a fungus infect people so severely?
Emil Lesho, DO, is the Program Director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Rochester Regional Health and shares his knowledge of fungal infections, how to treat them effectively, and why a zombie fungus infection is not something that should cause any real concern.
Fungi are organisms that live in air, soil, water, or on plants. Most fungi spread by releasing spores that spread and grow new organisms.
Only a few hundred of the millions of types of fungi that have been discovered in the world can sicken humans. Different types of fungi cause different types of infections, including asthma or allergies, rashes or skin infections, lung infections, blood infections, and meningitis.
Some of the most well-known fungal infections in humans are fingernail or toenail fungus, ringworm, vaginal yeast infection, and thrush. Other infections develop in people who live in or visit specific areas of the U.S. – such as blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), cryptococcus gatti infection, and histoplasmosis.
In rare circumstances, fungal disease outbreaks may occur. An outbreak, considered to be two or more people, most often happen in a health care setting like a hospital or outdoors.
Like many health conditions, the treatments for fungal infections depend on the severity of the disease.
With advice from a primary care provider, people can often treat fungal infections with over-the-counter medicines such as oral medication or fungal creams. Prescription-strength creams or medications may be recommended in some cases.
There are a small number of drug-resistant fungi that are developing resistance to the types of medications used to treat them, which can be especially dangerous for patients with weak or compromised immune systems who might be more susceptible to these types of infection.
“Due to the highly-infectious nature of some fungal infections, ensuring patients and providers take a timely multi-faceted approach to sanitizing, cleaning, and testing is key in stopping a potential fungal outbreak,” Dr. Lesho said.
The short answer is no.
While the species of fungus depicted in The Last of Us (ophiocordyceps) is real, scientists say it has been shown to infect and control only the bodies of specific ant species, according to multiple interviews with expert mycologists and biologists. To achieve the same zombie-like result in humans would theoretically require a huge evolutionary leap – one that likely took tens of millions of years.
However, infectious disease experts are focused on an emerging fungal disease called Candida auris. C. auris is multidrug resistant, difficult to identify without specialized laboratory equipment, and has led to outbreaks in hospitals. Research is underway with the CDC and other health organizations around the world to study the fungus more thoroughly and understand how it works so more effective treatments can be developed.
The total cost of treating serious illnesses caused by fungal diseases is approximately $11.5 billion per year, according to CDC estimates. Research is ongoing to raise awareness about fungal diseases, monitor and reduce the spread of resistant fungi, and develop new ways of keeping track of fungal disease.
“For decades, the link between antibiotic exposure and fungal infections has been well-documented. Emerging multidrug-resistant fungi such as C. auris pose challenges to epidemiologists and clinicians everywhere,” Dr. Lesho said. “The importance of more closely documenting and studying these pathogens is integral to understanding how they grow and spread – and how we can better treat our patients.”
