{"id":1020,"date":"2026-06-24T16:02:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T16:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/?p=1020"},"modified":"2026-06-24T16:02:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T16:02:46","slug":"deadliest-spores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/2026\/06\/24\/deadliest-spores\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;It can cause high fever, extreme shortness of breath, shock and pneumonia \u2013 up to\u00a080% with it die without treatment.&#8221; 8 deadliest spores on the planet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns fp-header is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3a88641f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns fp-header-copy-container is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3a88641f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"background-color:#388867;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--lg);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--lg)\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center fp-category has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color has-graphik-font-family wp-elements-9a19e65666da189dc55a0e4b83b0aaea wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;text-transform:uppercase\">WILDLIFE<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center fp-title has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color has-merriweather-font-family wp-elements-b11a998fc7862ba587cf81dfb4671fa5\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xs);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xs);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.2\">&#8220;It can cause high fever, extreme shortness of breath, shock and pneumonia \u2013 up to\u00a080% with it die without treatment.&#8221; 8 deadliest spores on the planet<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center fp-intro has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color has-open-sans-font-family wp-elements-b0fdd054027db573a408a6e06328d312\" style=\"font-size:27px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">Bacteria, fungi and some other organisms make spores. Most spores are harmless, but some are trouble. When they get into the body and become reanimated, they can release toxins, invade tissues and cause serious health problems.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-base-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-base-background-color has-background\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center fp-author has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color has-graphik-font-family wp-elements-1869b2f73499f87bcdd7a17e1e9f021d wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;letter-spacing:0.3px;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Words by<\/em> <strong>HELEN PILCHER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center fp-date has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color has-graphik-font-family wp-elements-4098243f6228b4d5973e097265484819 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;text-transform:none\">June 24, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"724\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1705144597-1024x724.jpg\" alt=\"Microscopic view of a colony of Aspergillus fungi, 3D illustration.\" class=\"wp-image-1022\" srcset=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1705144597-1024x724.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1705144597-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1705144597-768x543.jpg 768w, https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1705144597-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1705144597-2048x1448.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gilnature\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Spores are nature\u2019s time capsules \u2013 protected by a tough outer layer that helps to shield them from extremes, the tiny, single-celled structures can lie dormant for years. Then, they spring back to life when conditions improve.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/fungi\/funus-storms\">&#8220;1 in 10 people will sustain long-term damage to their lungs, &amp; for 1%, the infection can spread to their brain &amp; spinal cord.&#8221; What you need to know fungus storms<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/fungi\/weird-fungi\">7 weirdest fungi in the world you&nbsp;(probably) haven&#8217;t heard of, from the gross-looking bleeding tooth to the creepy dead man&#8217;s fingers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are eight of the deadliest spores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8 deadliest spores<\/strong> on the planet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Zombie-Ant Fungus (<em>Ophiocordyceps unilateralis<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1633014377.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-169377\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jojo Dexter\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The name sums it up. The zombie-ant&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/fungi\/fungi-facts\">fungus<\/a>&nbsp;turns&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/ants-guide\">ants<\/a>&nbsp;into&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/zombie-parasites\">zombies<\/a>. Found mainly in tropical&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/how-many-rainforests-are-there-in-the-world\">rainforests<\/a>, spores land on foraging carpenter ants and produce an enzyme that eats through the shell. The fungus then enters the ant and starts to control its behaviour. The hapless insect climbs a nearby plant and bites into a leaf 25 centimetres above the ground &#8211; the perfect temperature and humidity for the fungus to grow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/fungi\/cordyceps-ophicordyceps-zombie-fungus\">Cordyceps and Orphiocordyceps: the zombie fungi made famous by The Last of Us<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/tv\/deadly-fungus-planet-earth\">\u201cThe cordyceps erupts from the ant\u2019s head.\u201d Deadly parasitic fungus infiltrates an ant\u2019s body and mind in this BBC Planet Earth clip&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ant dies \u2013 but the fungus isn\u2019t done yet. It consumes the mummified corpse and extends a long stalk out of the ant\u2019s head, which then produces spores that fall to the floor. The gruesome lifecycle starts over.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thankfully, the fungus doesn\u2019t infect&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/new-species-of-human\">humans<\/a>, but it did inspire the post-apocalyptic show&nbsp;<em>The Last of Us<\/em>, where humans become infected with a fungus that turns them into zombies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Anthrax (<em>Bacillus anthracis<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2264554171.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" alt=\"Bacillus anthracis, 3D illustration.\" class=\"wp-image-169378\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Bacillus anthracis, 3D illustration.<\/strong>&nbsp;quantic69\/Getty Images&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Bacillus anthracis<\/em>\u00a0is a tiny, rod-shaped bacterium and its spores can survive in the soil for decades. Herbivores die after being infected whilst grazing. Humans become infected in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> If the bacteria enters through a cut, it can cause black, boil-like lesions. If the spores are inhaled, it can cause high fever, extreme shortness of breath, shock and pneumonia. Up to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anthrax\">80<\/a>% of those with this form of infection, die without treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/environment\/deadliest-islands\">Snake Island, Anthrax Island and beyond: 9 deadly Islands you&#8217;d be a fool to visit&#8230;<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/deadliest-zoonotic-diseases\">&#8220;It conjures horror images of wide-eyed insanity, foaming at the mouth and an excruciating death.&#8221; 10 deadliest diseases humans can get from animals<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anthrax is listed as a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/anthrax\/bioterrorism\/index.html\">Tier 1 biological agent<\/a>&nbsp;because of its potential use in terrorism. In 2011, letters containing anthrax spores were sent in the US mail. 22 people became infected, and five people died.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>White-Nose Syndrome Fungus (<em>Pseudogymnoascus destructans<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/960px-Myotis_yumanensis_Yuma_myotis_11362476624.jpg\" alt=\"Yuma myotis\u00a0(Myotis yumanensis) with White-Nose Syndrome fungus. \" class=\"wp-image-169379\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Yuma myotis&nbsp;(<em>Myotis yumanensis<\/em>) with White-Nose Syndrome fungus.&nbsp;<\/strong>Daniel Neal from Sacramento, CA, US, CC BY 2.0, via&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Myotis_yumanensis_(Yuma_myotis)_(11362476624).jpg\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This fungus is harmless to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/how-many-human-species-have-there-been\">humans<\/a>&nbsp;but deadly to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/bat-facts\">bats<\/a>, where it causes a fuzzy white growth on the animal\u2019s nose. The fungus flourishes at low temperatures and can be found in the cool, damp caves where bats like to hibernate. Bats pick up the spores when they rub against the walls, ceilings and floors of contaminated caves or other infected bats. Spores colonise their skin and the fungus invades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"why this small town in Canada is suddenly teeming with scientists%C2%A0\">Lillooet: why this small town in Canada is suddenly teeming with scientists&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This leads to White-Nose Syndrome, a fatal disease that has devastated bat populations in parts of the United States and Canada. Inside the animal, the fungus forces the bat to burn through its fat reserves and emerge from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/what-is-hibernation\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/what-is-hibernation\">hibernation<\/a> too early. Dehydration and emaciation are the ultimate cause of death.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Black fungus (<em>Aspergillus fumigatus<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/960px-Conidia_phialoconidia_of_Aspergillus_fumigatus_PHIL_300_lores.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-169382\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CDC, Public domain, via&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Conidia_phialoconidia_of_Aspergillus_fumigatus_PHIL_300_lores.jpg\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This common fungus is found in rotting leaves and compost heaps, where it plays a vital role in carbon and nitrogen recycling. Colonies of the fungus produce thousands of tiny grey-green spores which readily become airborne. Most people inhale hundreds of these spores every day without issue, but they can be deadly for people with chronic respiratory problems or weakened immune systems.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Symptoms of aspergillosis include shortness of breath, wheezing, high temperature, losing weight and feeling tired. Treatment can include steroids and antifungal tablets, but&nbsp;<em>A. fumigatus&nbsp;<\/em>still causes around 600,000 deaths every year with a mortality rate between&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aspergillus_fumigatus\">25 and 90%.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ergot fungus (<em>Claviceps purpurea<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2228628352.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-169384\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ankit Zampadiya\/Getty Images&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The parasitic ergot fungus infects rye and other cereal crops, where it replaces the healthy grain kernel with a dark, hard mass called a \u201csclerotium.\u201d After the sclerotium falls to the ground, it germinates and produces a stalk-like structure which generates spores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eating any part of the fungus is ill advised because it produces toxic chemicals called alkaloids. This can cause ergotism, with symptoms including burning pain in the limbs, hallucinations, seizures and gangrene.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Middle Ages, this was known as \u2018St. Anthony\u2019s fire\u2019 after the order of monks who tried to treat people. Today, thanks to modern agricultural practices and medicine, cases and fatalities are rare. When mass outbreaks occurred in the 19<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;century however, the death rate was around&nbsp;<a>40<\/a>%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Chytrid Fungus (<em>Batrachocytrium dendrobatidis<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1403545484.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" alt=\"Australian Peron's Tree Frog that has died from Chytrid Fungus disease.\" class=\"wp-image-169385\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Australian Peron&#8217;s Tree Frog that has died from Chytrid Fungus disease.<\/strong>&nbsp;Ken Griffiths\/Getty Images&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This fungus produces mobile spores that can swim through water using tiny propulsive tails called flagella. They don\u2019t swim far \u2013 just a few centimetres &#8211; but they do swim with purpose. Spores use a process called chemotaxis to detect and move towards specific molecules present on the skin of their host,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/amphibians\/\">amphibians<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After they arrive, the host becomes infected.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/amphibians\/facts-about-chytridiomycosis-disease\">Chytridiomycosis<\/a>&nbsp;damages the skin of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/how-to\/identify-wildlife\/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-a-frog-and-a-toad\">frogs, toads<\/a>&nbsp;and other amphibians, disrupting their balance of water and salt, and eventually causing heart failure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/frog-saunas\">Weird &#8216;frog saunas&#8217; are popping up around Sydney \u2013 and they could save Australian species from a deadly fungus<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since the fungus was first identified in 1998, it has devastated amphibian populations around the globe and led to the extinction of an estimated&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aav0379\">90<\/a>&nbsp;species. Humans are immune to the fungus, but we bear responsibility for its spread. Thanks to the international trade in amphibians, we have been shipping them around the world for over a hundred years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rust fungus (<em>Puccinia<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2214554923.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-169386\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">imv\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rust fungi are deadly to plants, where their spores have caused devastating agricultural losses. There are more than 7,000&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/speciation-guide\">species<\/a>&nbsp;of rust fungi, so-called because of the microscopic, rust-red spores they produce on the leaves and stems of infected plants.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/fungi\/pilobolus-crystallinus-dung-cannon\">It lives in poo and detonates its spores at 90kmh. Meet the exploding fungus dubbed the &#8216;dung cannon&#8217;<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The life cycle of the fungi can be complex. Most species can infect two different plant hosts and may produce up to five distinct spore-producing structures. Many economically important plants are vulnerable, including coffee, wheat and soybean. In Australia alone, stripe rust fungus causes over AU<a href=\"https:\/\/groundcover.grdc.com.au\/weeds-pests-diseases\/diseases\/monitoring-intensifies-as-virulent-new-stripe-rust-emerges-in-europe\">$1 billion<\/a>&nbsp;in wheat loss every year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now experts are trying to breed resistant strains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Histoplasmosis Fungus (<em>Histoplasma capsulatum<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2222654866.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" alt=\"Microscopic view of Histoplasma capsulatum\" class=\"wp-image-169387\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Microscopic view of&nbsp;<em>Histoplasma capsulatum<\/em><\/strong>. DouglasOlivares\/Getty Images&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/plant-facts\/fungi\/fungi-facts\">fungus<\/a>, which is found in pockets of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/histoplasmosis\/data-research\/maps\/index.html\">Central America, South America, Africa and parts of Asia,<\/a>&nbsp;thrives in soil that is rich in bird and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/bat-facts\">bat<\/a>&nbsp;droppings. Whilst birds are immune to infection, bats can become infected and act as carriers. People become infected when the ground is disturbed and they breathe in the spores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the spores reach the lungs, they&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/histoplasmosis\/causes\/index.html\">transform into yeast<\/a>, which can travel to the lymph nodes and spread to other parts of the body. Most infections are asymptomatic or generate mild systems, but severe infections can occur in those with weakened immune systems. Without antifungal treatment, the most serious version of the disease is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448185\/\">100% fatal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/most-lethal-projectiles-in-the-world\">Spitting deadly venom and launching \u2018bullet-like\u2019 blobs \u2013 these are the most lethal projectiles in the natural world<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/deadliest-parasites\">&#8220;It causes confusion, comas, and extreme daytime sleepiness and without treatment, it is generally fatal&#8221; 10 deadliest, most terrifying parasites on the planet<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bacteria, fungi and some other organisms make spores. Most spores are harmless, but some are trouble. When they get into the body and become reanimated, they can release toxins, invade tissues and cause serious health problems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":1022,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main","category-wildlife"],"acf":{"article_authors":"Helen Pilcher","send_as_draft":true,"send_as_paid":true,"send_as_featured":true},"modified_by":"dgraham","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/149"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1020"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1071,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020\/revisions\/1071"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/bbc-wildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}