Man Discovers Black Mold Growing in His Brain Causing Severe Headaches, Facial Paralysis, and Other Symptoms

Tyson Bottenus, a graduate student from the University of Rhode Island, complained of severe headaches and facial paralysis, so he decided to go to a doctor. After several brain biopsies, spinal taps, blood tests, MRIs, and CT scans, he found out that his symptoms were caused by black mold in his brain.

The discovery of the fungus, scientifically called Cladophialophora bantiana, explained the abscesses doctors found in his brain. He experienced more symptoms throughout the years and was told by doctors that 70% of the infected people do not survive.

(Photo : Pexels/Anna Shvets)
Man Discovers Black Mold is Growing in His Brain That Caused Severe Headaches, Facial Paralysis, and Other Symptoms

How Did He Get the "Two Little Dark Circles of Doom"?

In an interview with The Providence Journal, Bottenus told the news outlet that he and the doctors were surprised to find the fungus Cladophialophora bantiana is growing in his brain because it is so rare. The first two brain biopsies failed to detect the black mold, but the third one found it instead of the brain cancer they suspected.

Seeing his MRI results, he described the preorbital dark circles in his brain caused by the black mold as "two little dark circles of doom."

Although unsure of what caused or how he got infected with the fungus, he believes that it might have come from his 2018 trip to Costa Rica, Newsweek reported. Bottenus said he might have breathed dust carrying the fungus, or it could have entered from his elbow wound at that time and traveled through his bloodstream, and eventually ended up in his brain.

Studies have shown that the fungus could infect humans via inhalation or entry to a wound. Unfortunately, the abscesses caused by the black mold are too close to the critical parts of the brain, so surgery is not an option. Instead, his doctor prescribed antifungals and steroids to control the swelling.

However, he discontinued using steroids in 2020 for fear that it would leave him immunocompromised from COVID-19. Due to that, he suffered a series of strokes that impaired his vision, handwriting and speech. His doctors told him that the pressure in his brain went 15 times greater than the normal pressure it can take. Fortunately, he regained his vision but could not drive or sail.

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Black Mold Causes Fungal Abscess

The fungus Cladophialophora bantiana is a well-known species that cause severe cerebral infections in its host. A paper in Science Direct reported that this fungus has a remarkable neurotropism or the ability to infect a nerve, especially on immunocompetent hosts.

According to the United States National Library of Medicine, they prefer the brain for abscess-formations and usually target men around 35 years old. Lesions caused by the black mold are usually seen in the frontoparietal lobes and have poor outcomes.

For over 100 years, only 120 cases of culture-proven CNS infections were reported in medical literature, suggesting its rarity. In the earlier cases of the fungus, 100% of patients died because they did not receive treatment or only underwent surgery. About 21 recorded patients received surgery without therapy, and all of them died.

Experts said that the course of the black mold is generally slow, which allows doctors to conduct a confirmed diagnosis via aspiration and surgical resection.