A mycologist specializing in plants from Kolkata has made medical history as the first person to be diagnosed with a plant fungal disease. The 61-year-old individual was found to be infected with Chondrostereum purpureum, the fungus responsible for causing silver leaf disease in plants.
He was taken to the outpatient department of Consultant Apollo Multispeciality Hospital in Kolkata with a range of symptoms that had persisted for three months. These included cough, hoarseness of voice, fatigue, recurrent pharyngitis, difficulty in swallowing, sore throat and anorexia.
Apparent symptoms
According to a recent report, the affected individual sought medical attention after experiencing symptoms such as hoarseness, cough, fatigue, and difficulty swallowing for a duration of three months. Further examination revealed the presence of a paratracheal abscess in the neck, and testing of the pus samples led to the discovery of a fungal infection. Symptoms of paratracheal abscess often include fever, sore throat, pain while swallowing, and swelling in the neck extending down to the hyoid bone.
The individual did not have a medical history of diabetes, HIV infection, renal disease, chronic illness, use of immunosuppressive drugs, or any recent injury.
According to a reports, the mycologist has successfully recovered after undergoing a two-month treatment regimen of two antifungal medications.
Studies have shown that although there are millions of fungi in nature, only a few hundred of them have the ability to infect humans and animals. Fungal species that are capable of growing at the body temperature of humans, around 35-37°C, are more likely to become human pathogens or part of the commensal flora. When the pathogen enters the human body through damaged skin or the respiratory tract, it can cause infection, particularly in individuals with weakened immune systems.
Chondrostereum purpureum is a type of fungal pathogen that primarily targets plants belonging to the rose family. The fungus has a deadly impact on these plants, often resulting in their demise.
Silver leaf is a fungal disease that affects trees and is caused by the pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum. It primarily targets species belonging to the rose family, and if left untreated, the disease can progress and result in the plant's death. The name "silver leaf" comes from the gradual silvering of leaves on branches affected by the disease.
