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Fungi have appeared, too, from time to time, in literature and art. Fungi create harm by spoiling food, destroying timber, and by causing diseases of crops, livestock, and humans. Fungi, mainly moulds like Penicillium and Aspergillus, spoil many stored foods. Fungi cause the majority of plant diseases, which in turn cause serious economic losses.
Although many people have a fear of mushroom poisoning by "toadstools", only a small number of the many macroscopic fruiting bodies commonly known as mushrooms and toadstools have proven fatal to humans. This list is not exhaustive and does not contain many fungi that, although not deadly, are still harmful.
Candida albicans is a kind of diploid yeast that commonly occurs among the human gut microflora. C. albicans is an opportunistic pathogen in humans. Abnormal over-growth of this fungus can occur, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. [7] C. albicans has a parasexual cycle that appears to be stimulated by environmental stress. [8]
Some of the health effects found in animals and humans include death, identifiable diseases or health problems, weakened immune systems without specificity to a toxin, and as allergens or irritants. Some mycotoxins are harmful to other micro-organisms such as other fungi or even bacteria; penicillin is one example. [46]
Hemp and cannabis host many fungi inside and outside the plant, most of which are harmless to most people. However, certain types of fungi such as Aspergillus and Fusarium pose potential health ...
However, mushroom poisoning is not always due to mistaken identity. For example, the highly toxic ergot Claviceps purpurea, which grows on rye, is sometimes ground up with rye, unnoticed, and later consumed. This can cause devastating, even fatal, effects, called ergotism. Cases of idiosyncratic or unusual reactions to fungi can also occur ...
According to the National Library of Medicine, Cordyceps is a composite of a fungus that grows on the larva of insects, basically taking over their bodies. But it can't jump to humans .
Fungi are everywhere, but only some cause disease. [13] Fungal infection occurs after spores are either breathed in, come into contact with skin or enter the body through the skin such as via a cut, wound or injection. [3] It is more likely to occur in people with a weak immune system. [14]