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A cat-borne fungus is spreading toward the US
Boing Boing • • science
Key Points:
- Sporothrix brasiliensis is a fungus causing severe skin ulcers in cats that can spread systemically and infect humans, primarily through close contact.
- Since its emergence in Brazil in the 1990s, the fungus has infected thousands of cats and over 11,000 people across South America.
- The CDC warns it is likely only a matter of time before the fungus reaches the United States, highlighting the risk of transmission.
- Unlike other fungi, S. brasiliensis remains infectious in its yeast form, spreading via bites, scratches, grooming, and even respiratory secretions that can contaminate surfaces for weeks.
- Many human infections occur when people attempt to medicate their infected cats, often resulting in scratches that transmit the fungus.
