'Last of Us': Rare fungal ailment, called Silver Leaf disease, finds first-ever victim in India's mushroom hunter

New Delhi: A rare-fungal disease called Silver Leaf disease, which is known to be deadly for plants found an Indian farmer as its first ever victim for the world, thus causing huge scare. As per reports, the 61-year-old Indian farmer who allegedly grew mushrooms requested assistance after three months of experiencing flu-like symptoms and swallowing issues. It comes after US health authorities warned last week about the Candida auris fungus, noting that the disease, which can kill up to 60% of those it infects, had tripled in recent years and grown resistant to multiple drugs. Tens of millions of people around the world have watched the popular US TV show The Last of US, which has brought attention to worries about the danger that fungi pose. People who contract the cordyceps fugus turn into zombies in the film. Doctors who have been treating the patient shared the case files with WHO from where the news probably broke. It turned out that scans of the patient initially showed an infection in his windpipe. He had contracted chondrostereum purpureum, which was discovered after surgeons removed the pus and sent samples to a facility for analysis, says a Daily mail report. As per the report, the fungus infects plants and produces an illness called silver leaf disease that causes the leaves of plants to turn metallic before slowly killing them. It is believed that he became infected while working directly with molds, yeast, and mushrooms during his study as a plant mycologist. Doctors who cared for the man said that he had spent a long time dealing with “decaying material, mushrooms, and various plant fungi.” They cautioned that the case “raises serious questions” because it demonstrates that the infection can affect “both healthy and immunocompromised individuals.” Medical professionals at Consultant Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals reported the patient’s admission to the hospital as a result of a persistent wheeze, hoarseness of voice, and exhaustion that he had been unable to get rid of for three months. The man also had trouble swallowing and a sore throat, but he had no underlying health issues that placed him at risk. The case summary omitted disclosing the incident’s date. Upon inspection, the man’s chest’s X-ray results came back as “normal.” However, the man’s paratracheal infection in his neck was discovered by a CT scan. Such abscesses can be deadly if they are not identified and treated right away because they can obstruct the airways and result in infections that can be fatal. Antifungal drugs and surgery to drain it are typically used to manage it. The man received two courses of antifungal medication for two months after the pus was fully drained and sent to the World Health Organization-collaborating facility in northern India for testing. Chondrostereum purpureum was the name of the illness determined by local researchers. The researchers claimed there had never been any proof that a specific species of fungus could infect people before. Doctors confirmed that the man was disease-free two years afterward. Only a small number of the millions of fungi that exist in the world today have the ability to infect people and animals. The researchers noted that numerous novel pathogenic fungi have emerged in recent decades. Additionally, they noted, worsening global warming will “open Pandora’s Box for newer fungal diseases.” Fungi undergo more mutations more quickly as a result of rising temperatures, which could increase their drug tolerance and improve their ability to survive in the human body. The fungus can currently only attack insects like ants. However, due to cordyceps’ ability to control its host’s behaviour and grow outside of its body, its affects have been compared to zombie-like effects. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.