Fungus that spreads from cats to humans has been detected, raising concerns among scientists

400 points by Better-Month4460 7 hours ago on reddit | 18 comments

[OP] Better-Month4460 | 7 hours ago

Wait til they tell you about Toxoplasmosis…

Brrdock | 3 hours ago

Wait what is this about then!?

I might have to open an article here for once

AdmirableBus6 | 2 hours ago

Sporothrix brasiliensis

BaldurOdinson | an hour ago

r/ItHadToBeBrazil

Basicly-Inevitable | 25 minutes ago

Well, Toxoplasmosis isn't a fungus.

bob_nugget_the_3rd | 3 hours ago

Look I'm going to die of something, might as well be to my fuzz ball that demands food

wellhiyabuddy | 6 hours ago

So this sounds a lot like ringworm. Which is already a fungus that transfers from cats to humans and causes sores. Ringworm is very common

lipglossfem | 4 hours ago

This is not ringworm. This is more serious than ringworm.

wellhiyabuddy | 4 hours ago

Is it? Nothing in the article says anything about it being more serious. It says treatment is easy with over the counter medication and takes about a month to clear up, the same as ringworm

Iyorek9000 | 2 hours ago

This is my read as well. Perhaps sensational for clicks

unbeta | 2 hours ago

A dangerous fungus called Sporothrix brasiliensis has spread to Uruguay, primarily transmitted through infected cats.

How it spreads: Cats develop open sores loaded with the fungus, and it passes to humans through scratches, bites, or contact with wound fluid. Street cats are a major driver since they roam freely and fight, spreading it across neighborhoods undetected.

Symptoms: In people, it starts as a red bump that breaks open, with more bumps appearing in a line as it spreads under the skin. In cats, look for stubborn wounds, crusts, and hair loss on the face. Rarely, it can spread to joints, lungs, or the brain.

Who’s most at risk: Young children under 2, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

The concern: Uruguay previously saw this disease mostly from armadillo contact, not cats — so this represents a new and harder-to-control transmission route. The WHO notes over 11,000 human cases across South America in the past decade, and it’s spreading across borders. The good news: It’s curable with antifungal drugs, though treatment takes weeks or months. The challenge is that stray cats often go undiagnosed and untreated, keeping outbreaks alive. Controlling it requires coordinating animal care, medical treatment, and community reporting simultaneously.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

sus_round_letter | 4 hours ago

Im doomed! Lol

stonedkrypto | 3 hours ago

That website needs disinfecting first

BleachSancho | 3 hours ago

Keep your cats indoors.

Miserable_Mail_5741 | an hour ago

Sadly I live with a family that owns a cat they love to kick outdoors as much as possible.

If I die because of their actions I'm haunting them for eternity! 👻

No_Director9292 | 3 hours ago

Don't feed them anything with even a hint of sugar or starches. Or they will have a worm infection.

dshgr | 3 hours ago

Yet another reason to keep cats inside.

Aardonyx87 | 23 minutes ago

Wellp I'm dead