Fungal infections in the brain aren't just the stuff of movies – Africa grapples with a deadly epidemic

The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. This fungus can cause a number of disorders in people with compromised immune function or other lung diseases. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library/GettyImages

In the 2023 American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us, humans are plunged towards extinction as a fungal infection of the brain zombie-fies most of the species. This may seem far-fetched but fungi can, and do, infect human brains.

Fungi are present everywhere in our environment: in the air, in the soil, in decaying plant material, on our skin, and even in the gut as part of our natural flora.