Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Could a fungal pandemic turn us all into zombies?
BBC ^ | 01/27/2023 | James Gallagher

Posted on 01/27/2023 7:21:05 PM PST by BenLurkin

Species of parasitic Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps fungi are very real. Sir David Attenborough watches as one takes control of an ant: [video clip]

That clip of zombie ants inspired "The Last of Us"

There are some nasty bugs on there, but you'll be relieved to know that zombifying-Cordyceps do not feature.

Candida auris is...a yeast-type fungus...

But if it gets inside the body, it can invade the blood, nervous system and internal organs.

"It's...now being found all over the world," says Dr Stone.

The first documented case was in the ear of a patient at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital in 2009.

Transmission is mainly through contaminated surfaces in hospitals. It sticks to intravenous lines and blood pressure cuffs. It's really hard to clean off. The solution is often to close entire wards. This has happened even in the UK.

Dr Stone says it is the "most worrying" fungi and we "ignore it at our peril" as, if it takes off, "it could shut down entire healthcare systems".

Mucormycetes also known as black fungus, causes the flesh-eating disease mucormycosis.

"When you have a piece of fruit and the next day it's turned to mush, that's because it has had a mucor-fungus [Mucormycetes] inside of it,"

Black fungus is an opportunist that takes hold in people with weak immune systems. It assaults the face, eyes, and brain and can be fatal or leave people severely disfigured. A bad infection "grows as quickly" in the body as it does in fruit or the lab...

During the Covid pandemic, there was an explosion of black fungus cases in India. More than 4,000 people died. Steroids being taken for Covid, which weakened immune systems, and high levels of diabetes, are thought to have aided the fungus's proliferation.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: clickbait; fungi; runforyourlives
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-37 last
To: entropy12
>>hot sunlight

If there is shade in a crease or the underside, they will survive.

Mattress does not conduct heat and is a insulator.

21 posted on 01/27/2023 8:33:18 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Deaf Smith

My parents executed that procedure in summer when temps routinely reached over 100F in western India. We had a flat roof on 3rd floor of house. I used to watch the bedbugs come flying out of the mattresses. Even the bug eggs died in the heat. Then we would enjoy several months of bed-bugs free beds.


22 posted on 01/27/2023 8:39:31 PM PST by entropy12 (Food is most popular anxiety drug, exercise is the least popular.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: BipolarBob
Another good one. We might be from the same era. I checked your profile and saw I am starting a GoFundMe page to cover expenses for my plan to build a theme park on the moon (or Mars whichever one is closer).

I think you might want to go with the moon - if you build it on Mars, your only customer will be Sheila Jackson-Lee looking for the flag the astronauts left there.

23 posted on 01/27/2023 8:40:17 PM PST by Gil4 (And the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, ax and saw)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

24 posted on 01/27/2023 8:45:46 PM PST by ApplegateRanch (Why are there so many more horse's @33es than horses?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Judging by wbat I see when walking by a TV, they are already here and all over the place.


25 posted on 01/27/2023 9:22:53 PM PST by SaxxonWoods (The only way to secure your own future is to create it yourself. 111 is the key.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: entropy12

India has DDT for household use.


26 posted on 01/27/2023 9:25:51 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: CFW

Head shot yes. Just be sure to Double Tap when you do.


27 posted on 01/27/2023 9:38:32 PM PST by OHPatriot (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Nervous Tick

Looks like some major curve flattening could in the works.


28 posted on 01/27/2023 9:38:38 PM PST by chickenlips (Polls can change at Warp Speed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: entropy12

>> Another effective way to kill bed bugs is to expose the mattress/Pillow/bedovers to hot sun light. The bugs can’t take the heat.

I don’t know about you, but when I stay at a hotel, I ALWAYS drag the mattress/pillow/bedcovers out onto their “courtyard” for some sun. Not.

With all due respect, this is factual, but useless, advice.


29 posted on 01/27/2023 10:12:06 PM PST by Nervous Tick (Truth is not hate speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Fungi

>> so sleep around knowing the void still is devoid of fungi.

WHUT??!?

(Just kidding, you actually said “sound” but my reading sensors processed it funny...)


30 posted on 01/27/2023 10:15:33 PM PST by Nervous Tick (Truth is not hate speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I watched the first two episodes of Last of Us. Seems to be pretty much like The Walking Dead. I’m pretty sure it will devolve into wondering which main character will get bit it in each episode like TWD.


31 posted on 01/28/2023 2:31:33 AM PST by DeplorablePaul (protesters)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

“There’s a fungus among us!


32 posted on 01/28/2023 3:48:31 AM PST by Babba Gi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BipolarBob

Let me change the wording a little in the title ‘Could a Demonic Pandemic Change us all Into Zomies?’ That’s the real question of our time.


33 posted on 01/28/2023 4:23:10 AM PST by iontheball
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Nature really has it in for us.


34 posted on 01/28/2023 4:28:42 AM PST by popdonnelly (All the enormous crimes in history have been committed by governments.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Deaf Smith

Oh yes I remember DDT even after 63 years after leaving India.
The summer heat occasionally hitting 115F was very effective in killing bed bugs. It was not just the mattresses, the bugs were present in bed frames, bed posts for mosquito netting as well. Everything was laid out on the large open terrace on 3rd floor of house. They soon came scampering out and I was waiting to pick them up and throw them in a cup of kerosene which killed them quickly. Kerosene was used every day in Primus stoves for cooking. Always available in my house.


35 posted on 01/28/2023 7:11:23 AM PST by entropy12 (Food is most popular anxiety drug, exercise is the least popular.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: OHPatriot

“Head shot yes. Just be sure to Double Tap when you do.”

___

Always head shot and double-tap. That’s the lesson everyone takes away from zombie movies. LOL!

Coincidently, hubby and I watched a movie the other night titled “Children of Men”. The plot was that after a pandemic all the women were sterile and no children had been born in 18 years. Those considered “illegals” were being rounded up by officials to be put in refuge camps since they were being blamed for the pandemic. Different factions were warring for control of England (There were plenty of guns still in this future). A man was tasked by some rebels to take a young woman to the “world of tomorrow” so humanity can continue. She was pregnant so many different groups were fighting to have control of her.

Given the events of the past few years, it was a movie that made you think that they actually let you know their plans by the movies they make. If they can think of it, they can do it.


36 posted on 01/28/2023 3:37:58 PM PST by CFW (old and retired)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
"The Apocalypse Crusade" by Peter Meredith

Uses this premise for the 3 book series.

37 posted on 01/28/2023 5:21:29 PM PST by SERE_DOC ( The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it. TJ)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-37 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson