Lab detects more cases of rare brain fungus

A University of Washington reference laboratory detected more cases of the rare fungal infection Cladophialophora bantiana in 2024 and 2025 than in earlier years, but researchers say they cannot determine whether the pattern reflects a broader rise in infections or how common the disease is nationally. The laboratory recorded 48 confirmed cases and one probable case from January 2009 through July 2026. Annual detections ranged from one to five between 2009 and 2023, before rising to eight in 2024 and 14 in 2025. The cases were identified in samples from 21 states and Washington, D.C. C. bantiana can cause brain abscesses and has been associated with a 60% to 70% fatality rate, including among patients who receive treatment. The infection is unusual because it can affect people without known conditions that weaken their immune systems, researchers said. The median age among the patients in the case series was 68. The researchers also compared positive detections with the number of central nervous system specimens submitted for fungal testing. The laboratory reported an average of 8.