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A rare fungal infection that can strike healthy people is on the rise across the United States, prompting public health officials for increased awareness and national monitoring.
Cladophialophora bantiana (C. bantiana) is a yeast-like black mold that can infect the brain and contains a dark pigment called melanin, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Data from a University of Washington microbiology lab shows detection of the fungus nearly quadrupled between 2023 and 2025.
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Between January 2009 and July 2026, researchers identified 48 confirmed cases and one probable case of C. bantiana in tissue samples from 21 states and the District of Columbia. The median age of patients was 68 years.
Unlike many fungal infections that primarily affect people with weakened immune systems, about half of C. bantiana infections occur in otherwise healthy people.
Cladophialophora bantiana (C. bantiana) is a yeast-like black mold that can infect the brain and contains a dark pigment called melanin, according to a CDC report. (iStock)
Researchers believe the mold enters the body when inhaled or through a skin wound, then travels through the bloodstream to the brain.
The CDC report states that 88% of cases were detected in brain tissue samples and 12% in lung tissue, supporting the theory that respiratory inhalation is one of the primary mechanisms of transmission.
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The fungus causes a serious infection associated with a 60 to 70 percent mortality rate, even with aggressive medical intervention, according to a systematic review published in Medical Mycology.
The pathogen has historically been very rare, with the University of Washington lab identifying only one to five cases per year between 2009 and 2023. However, the CDC says annual cases increased to eight in 2024 and 14 in 2025.
Public health officials are urging clinicians to consider fungal pathogens when evaluating brain abscesses and are calling for national reporting of cases to better track the increase. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy, file)
To make sure this increase wasn’t simply due to more testing, the researchers compared the number of infections with the total number of brain tissue samples tested for fungus.
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They found that detections increased from 8.4 cases per 1,000 specimens between 2017 and 2023 to 26 cases per 1,000 specimens in 2025.
“The reasons for this apparent increase are unknown,” the CDC report said, calling for systematic national reporting mechanisms to better track the pathogen.
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The cases were reported across a wide geographic area, with the highest numbers coming from California (six), Florida (five), Texas (five) and Pennsylvania (four).
Standard tests such as spinal taps may not detect the fungus, meaning doctors sometimes have to take a tissue sample through surgery to confirm the diagnosis. (iStock)
Because C. bantiana usually manifests as a brain abscess without clear external signs of infection, experts say early diagnosis is difficult.
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In one fatal case documented at the University of Washington Medical Center, PCR tests of spinal fluid returned negative results a month before and at the time of a brain biopsy, highlighting the difficulty of detecting mold.
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Public health experts advise clinicians to consider C. bantiana when evaluating patients with signs of brain abscess.
Treatment usually involves surgery to remove infected tissue, along with several antifungal medications.
Gn Health
