World's First Case of Human Infection by Killer Plant Fungus Reported in India

A 61-year-old Indian mycologist appears to have contracted a serious case of silver leaf disease caused by the fungus Chondrostereum purpureum in his own throat, providing a rare example of a pathogen seemingly making an enormous leap across entire kingdoms in the tree of life. This is the first reported case of its kind, and it is unclear how the infection occurred. Fungal diseases pose a significant risk, and similarities in fungal and animal biochemistry make the design of suitable vaccines and therapies that can prevent or manage infection a real challenge.