Experts Warn About Zombie Fungus: 'The Last of Us' Could Happen in Real Life
Experts Warn About Zombie Fungus: 'The Last of Us' Could Happen in Real Life
The Last of Us is a widely acclaimed television series that has gained immense popularity for its unique premise of a 'mind-controlling' fungus that turns people into zombies. The show presents a scenario where the fungus infects humans, causing them to turn into aggressive and violent creatures. While the concept is fictional, it has sparked discussions about the real-world threats posed by infectious diseases and the possibility of global pandemics. Here are the details...👇
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Experts say that the story of The Last of Us, which is about a zombie attack, may become reality.
![Experts say that the story of The Last of Us, which is about a zombie attack, may become reality.](https://img-s3.onedio.com/id-63f69500bea0ac850179f078/rev-0/w-600/h-399/f-jpg/s-5c2b8fa3f3aa86b950b35ae5cebfda712dc85293.jpg)
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The story, which first gained popularity as a video game, was later turned into a series.
![The story, which first gained popularity as a video game, was later turned into a series.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f69507bea0ac850179f07a/rev-0/w-600/h-337/f-jpg/s-4316eec59eea1690749aa5e918f80dd3b268e445.jpg)
In the story, the parasitic fungus "cordyceps" takes over people's minds and turns them into zombies.
![In the story, the parasitic fungus "cordyceps" takes over people's minds and turns them into zombies.](https://img-s2.onedio.com/id-63f69504dc4b9b9b7c601427/rev-0/w-600/h-337/f-jpg/s-560c9780930fb9c55891197541886276542984ee.jpg)
The main story is based on a documentary about the cordyceps fungus taking over the ants' brains, controlling their minds to destroy colonies.
![The main story is based on a documentary about the cordyceps fungus taking over the ants' brains, controlling their minds to destroy colonies.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f6950cbea0ac850179f07c/rev-0/w-600/h-431/f-jpg/s-181655b96718207d61f6ce26b6104778eb8b491a.jpg)
Molecular Microbiologist Dr. Mark Ramsdale said: "Some of them could potentially switch from one lifestyle to another and become pathogenic in a context we hadn't thought of before."
![Molecular Microbiologist Dr. Mark Ramsdale said: "Some of them could potentially switch from one lifestyle to another and become pathogenic in a context we hadn't thought of before."](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f69512bea0ac850179f07e/rev-0/w-600/h-600/f-jpg/s-81d98c5c2607193adb2db7883a0c19af3a71756f.jpg)
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Currently, the cordyceps fungus has not evolved to cope with the normal internal temperature of the human body, 37°C, but Professor Elaine Bignell, a fungal pathogen expert, has warned about other harmful fungi.
![Currently, the cordyceps fungus has not evolved to cope with the normal internal temperature of the human body, 37°C, but Professor Elaine Bignell, a fungal pathogen expert, has warned about other harmful fungi.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f69516dc4b9b9b7c601429/rev-0/w-600/h-449/f-jpg/s-69e4df27379a058ab10cccd19decc4626df55e14.jpg)
"A number of fungal species are quite obvious pathogens and kill hundreds of thousands of people every year, it's just that the public is not aware of it."
!["A number of fungal species are quite obvious pathogens and kill hundreds of thousands of people every year, it's just that the public is not aware of it."](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f6951bdc4b9b9b7c60142b/rev-0/w-600/h-597/f-jpg/s-d3d6b58919b5b81cf4d2d4e3ee2d9f316cf6fd80.jpg)
A World Health Organization report has warned that fungal infections have "increased significantly" among patients in the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.
![A World Health Organization report has warned that fungal infections have "increased significantly" among patients in the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f6951fdc4b9b9b7c60142d/rev-0/w-600/h-337/f-jpg/s-d5cfd84fe9546627c24db5e2a1437d32a4d05c92.jpg)
One of the fungi considered to pose the most significant risk is "Aspergillus fumigatus", a common mold found in many homes, which can cause "chronic and acute lung disease" and can be fatal.
![One of the fungi considered to pose the most significant risk is "Aspergillus fumigatus", a common mold found in many homes, which can cause "chronic and acute lung disease" and can be fatal.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f69523dc4b9b9b7c60142f/rev-0/w-600/h-449/f-jpg/s-d0052807b128d5ab7254527ef5d66b03a5e7f6b9.jpg)
Another potentially dangerous fungus mentioned by the World Health Organization report is the fungus "Candida auris".
![Another potentially dangerous fungus mentioned by the World Health Organization report is the fungus "Candida auris".](https://img-s2.onedio.com/id-63f69526dc4b9b9b7c601431/rev-0/w-600/h-337/f-jpg/s-748aaadbfa97165b1ab03330114d8689c5709626.jpg)
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The highly drug-resistant fungus, which has caused a number of outbreaks in hospitals around the world, can cause life-threatening infections in people with weakened immunity.
![The highly drug-resistant fungus, which has caused a number of outbreaks in hospitals around the world, can cause life-threatening infections in people with weakened immunity.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f6952abea0ac850179f080/rev-0/w-600/h-387/f-jpg/s-b668230a7eb60fb5d7fac87b56622f4a7bc7dcaf.jpg)
The cordyceps fungus was not on the World Health Organization's list of fungi that threaten humans, but over time, this fungus can also mutate.
![The cordyceps fungus was not on the World Health Organization's list of fungi that threaten humans, but over time, this fungus can also mutate.](https://img-s1.onedio.com/id-63f6952edc4b9b9b7c601433/rev-0/w-600/h-400/f-jpg/s-8835a474f8f0a4521e1fa3fbf71680684384d8e8.jpg)
Experts said that although the cordyceps fungus has not developed the ability to live in higher temperatures, many other fungi have it.
![Experts said that although the cordyceps fungus has not developed the ability to live in higher temperatures, many other fungi have it.](https://img-s3.onedio.com/id-63f69534bea0ac850179f082/rev-0/w-600/h-394/f-jpg/s-e73876edcf3e862632f864399610fc02d67171de.jpg)
"One of the things that killer mushrooms have in common is that they can grow at human body temperature, and this is actually unusual for a mushroom. Most fungi in the environment are suitable for growing in more temperate conditions, putting quite a lot of pressure on any microorganism to counteract an immune response in the human body and cope with high temperature."
!["One of the things that killer mushrooms have in common is that they can grow at human body temperature, and this is actually unusual for a mushroom. Most fungi in the environment are suitable for growing in more temperate conditions, putting quite a lot of pressure on any microorganism to counteract an immune response in the human body and cope with high temperature."](https://img-s2.onedio.com/id-63f69538bea0ac850179f084/rev-0/w-600/h-396/f-jpg/s-40b79de88f15e92b0f54c4a701fb8fd57f3f86dd.jpg)
Do you think ‘The Last of Us’ could become reality? Let’s meet in the comments!
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