Those who have seen the HBO series The Last of Us know what we’re talking about here. In this television series adapted from the video game of the same name, a fungus causes a widespread fungal infection, transforming people into cannibalistic, zombie-like creatures. The whole thing causes the collapse of society. Just that.
What is it really? Can a mushroom actually take over a body, turning it into a walking zombie? The answer is… yes! In nature, there are examples of zombification, that is to say when an organism controls the behavior of another organism. And the master of the game is indeed a mushroom.
The best-known parasitic fungus is undoubtedly Ophiocordyceps unilateralis: it penetrates the body of an ant which comes into contact with its spores, until it takes control of it. The fungus then manages to make it move and even climb the leaves. The ant then wanders aimlessly, until the fungus has finished nibbling its organs and brain from the inside. A rod then comes out of the head of the dead insect and produces spores, which fall on new ants below. Creepy.
In nature there are countless species ofOphiocordyceps similar zombifying diseases. One of them, Ophiocordyceps salganeicolaparasites for example of cockroaches in Japan, while Massospora cicadina manages to control cicadas, to the point of making them fly. Same for flies, moths, centipedes, beetles… and humans?
Should we fear these mushrooms?
Don’t panic, parasitizing and controlling a human being is not as easy as an ant, explains the media The Conversation. Impossible to imagine such a zombification in our country. Especially since controlling even just one new insect would require millions of additional years. We are wide.
However, certain mushrooms pose a real threat to human health. Species Aspergillus fumigatus et Cryptococcus neoformans can, for example, invade the lungs and cause serious pneumonia-like symptoms, while Cryptococcus neoformans can spread outside the lungs to the central nervous system. We are not sure The Last of Usbut still.
Science Alert calls out even on the rate at which invasive fungal diseases are increasing all over the world, even the most benign ones, like toe intertrigo or the ringworm. To avoid this type of inconvenience, you should not forget to take a shower after sweating, especially after sporting activities where you share equipment and towels.
Source: www.slate.fr
