Kolkata Man Working as Mycologist Becomes World’s First Ever to be Infected by Fatal Plant Fungus
A Kolkata-based man who works as a mycologist recently became the world’s first ever person to be infected by a potentially life-threatening plant fungus. The unnamed patient has been identified as 61-year-old mycologist with no history of diabetes, chronic illness or trauma. According to reports, the man had taken to hospital with complaints of hoarseness of voice, intense fatigue, sore throat before being diagnosed by plant fungus.
The interesting case came in the form of Medical Mycology Case journal. According to reports, the man was a mycologist who worked with decaying mushrooms, plant material, and various other types of plant fungi for his research. Upon testing, a pasty colony with buff-colored pigmentation was found, and microscopy and culture failed to identify the fungus.
The case highlights the potential for plant fungi to cause infections in humans, and doctors suspect that recurrent exposure to decaying plant material may have been the cause of this rare infection.
Ultimately, the patient’s neck abscess was surgically treated and drained, and he was given antifungal medication. Although X-rays revealed no abnormalities, the patient was closely monitored and reported as being fine after two years, with no signs of recurrence.
As per Dr. Soma Dutta and Dr. Ujjwayini Ray of the Consultant Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals, the man suffered from Chondrostereum purpureum.
The Facts of the Matter
In a rare and potentially concerning development, a man in Kolkata became the first person in the world to be diagnosed with rare and potentially life-threatening fatal plant fungus. The incident came to the fore in a medical summary from Medical Mycology Case journal. According to reports, the patient was a 61-year-old man, who worked as a mycologist (a person who works with fungi).
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Kolkata Man Experiences Voice Hoarseness
The plant mycologist from Kolkata in question had been experiencing a cough, hoarseness of voice, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, and fatigue for three months. He had no previous history of illness or any chronic disease.
After visiting the hospital, the doctors performed an X-ray, which was normal, but a CT scan revealed a paratracheal abscess in his neck, which can block airways and lead to life-threatening infections.
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Patient Worked with Decaying Material, Mushrooms
The man’s profession was unusual, as he had been working with decaying material, mushrooms, and various plant fungi for a long time as part of his research activities. But this turned out to be significant key in the potential treatment and course of action.
Doctors sent a sample for testing to the “WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference & Research on Fungi of Medical Importance,” where he was diagnosed with Chondrostereum purpureum, a plant fungus that causes silver leaf disease in plants, particularly those in the rose family.
What is Chondrostereum Purpureum?
For the unversed, Chondrostereum purpureum is a type of fungus that is commonly found in forests and woodlands, where it grows on dead and decaying wood. It is known to cause a plant disease called “silver leaf” in certain trees, especially those in the rose family.
Patient Reported Fine After This Treatment
Although microscopy and culture failed to identify the fungus, sequencing technology helped identify the unusual pathogen.
The patient’s neck abscess was surgically treated and drained, and he was given antifungal medication. Although X-rays revealed no abnormalities, the patient was closely monitored and reported as being fine after two years, with no signs of recurrence.
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