# Washington University lab logs fourfold rise in Cladophialophora bantiana detections in US brain samples

- Published: 2026-11-14 04:59 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: Cladophialophora bantiana, brain fungus, fungal brain infection, brain abscess, Washington University laboratory, CDC report, fungal infection statistics, central nervous system infection
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-12e8b08e4879226c8f4e40c6_washington_university_lab/

**Over 2023–2025 the detection rate of the rare fungus in brain tissue samples rose about fourfold in one US reference lab; causes are unknown and no national registry exists.**

![Washington University lab logs fourfold rise in Cladophialophora bantiana detections in US brain samples](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/15ac520bf2281226.jpg)
*cursorinfo.co.il*

A laboratory at Washington University in the US has recorded about a fourfold increase in detections of the rare fungus Cladophialophora bantiana, which can affect the human central nervous system, in brain tissue samples over 2023–2025, according to cursorinfo.co.il [1]. The causes of the rise have not been established, and the US has no single national system for recording such cases [1]. Earlier clinical studies put mortality among infected patients at 60–70% [1].

## What the laboratory recorded

According to Mirror, the lab logged 49 cases between January 2009 and July 2026: 48 confirmed and one possible [1]. From 2009 to 2023 it saw one to five cases a year; in 2024 the number rose to eight, and in 2025 to 14 [1]. The share of positive results among central nervous system samples also grew, so the rise cannot be explained solely by more samples being submitted [1].

Of the 49 cases, 43 (88%) were confirmed by analysis of central nervous system tissue, and six were found in lung samples. Samples came from 21 states and the District of Columbia. These figures do not give a full picture of incidence nationwide, since they reflect the work of a single reference laboratory.

## Source, risk factors and open questions

According to a preliminary analysis of clinical cases, about half of the patients had no known immune system disorders before infection [1]. Where the fungus lives in nature and what triggers infection remains unclear: it is rarely found in the environment, and patients often share no identified risk factors.

Researchers suggest that infection occurs through inhaling spores or through damaged skin. From there the pathogen probably reaches the brain via the bloodstream and may cause an abscess, a local collection of pus in tissue. Physicians are advised to include Cladophialophora bantiana among possible causes of brain abscesses.

Climate change is one of the explanations under discussion, since temperature and humidity affect the spread of fungal pathogens. However, the CDC report names the causes of the rise as unknown, and the study does not establish a direct link to climate [1]. The report's authors consider more systematic recording of cases and patient data necessary to determine whether the rise reflects real spread of the fungus or improved diagnostics.

Treatment is based on antifungal drugs; in some cases doctors also remove or drain the abscess surgically. Because the infection is rare, no universal regimen proven for all patients exists, and each case is assessed individually.

## Sources

1. [cursorinfo.co.il](https://cursorinfo.co.il/world-news/v-ssha-rezko-vyroslo-chislo-zarazhenij-smertelno-opasnym-gribkom)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-12e8b08e4879226c8f4e40c6_washington_university_lab/