Scientists in China have discovered a previously unknown fungal pathogen that can infect humans
Scientists have discovered a type of fungus that has never been seen in humans before. They say warmer temperatures may be making it evolve for the worse. The fungus, called Rhodosporidiobolus fluvialis, was found in clinical samples from two unrelated hospital patients. In experiments, the researchers found that the yeast was resistant to several first-line antifungal drugs at higher temperatures – around human body temperature. This temperature also led to the emergence of “hypervirulent mutants” that could cause more severe illness in lab mice.