The first case of a plant fungus called Chondrostereum purpureum infecting human beings has been reported from Kolkata.
- A man suffering from a hoarse voice, cough, fatigue and difficulties swallowing was hospitalised and was detected as having been infected by the fungal species Chondrostereum purpureum.
Key points
- The fungus, Chondrostereum purpureum, is known to cause Silver leaf disease in plants, especially in species of rose families. However, there were no reported instances of this fungus infecting human beings from any part of the world.
- Of the hundreds of millions of fungal species, only a few cause infections in humans.
- This may be the start of a new phenomenon when plant fungus is adapting to invade human cells by evading the process of ‘phagocytosis’.
- The process, which means ‘cell eating’, happens when a cell uses its plasma membrane to engulf a large particle, giving rise to an internal compartment called the ‘phagosome’.
- Organisms clean and defend themselves by this process.
- Rising temperature due to global warming is thought of as one of the major reasons for this new threat to human beings.
- Most fungi thrive in the range of 12°C to 30°C. However, many species are thermotolerant and can withstand high temperatures.
(Source: DoE)
