'The Last of Us' Zombie Fungus Is Real! Should Humans Worry About Ophiocordyceps?

After much anticipation, HBO's new show "The Last of Us" premiered on Sunday. The series is based on the popular video game of the same name and follows the journey of a mismatched pair as they navigate a post-apocalyptic America overrun by monsters, set in a time after a zombie fungus has decimated humanity.

The Washington Post described the subject matter as eerie, and given that the fungus on which the story is based is a real thing and humanity is still recovering from a widespread pandemic, it's not hard to understand why viewers may be contemplating the possibility of the show's story becoming a reality.

Zombie Fungus

The show's plot is inspired by a real group of fungi called Ophiocordyceps, also known as the "zombie fungus." These fungi possess the terrifying ability to take control of an infected insect host's mind, leading to the host's death while the fungus makes its way to the brain. Once the host is dead, the fungus can control the infected nervous system to move the host's body to the highest point it can reach, allowing it to spread its spores and infect more insects.

Currently, the "zombie fungus" does not affect humans. However, fungi have shown increasing treatment resistance in recent years and are known to evolve quickly. Some experts have warned that fungi could cause the next pandemic. In the world of "The Last of Us," global warming causes the fungus to mutate and infect humans, as explained by Vox in a study.

Molecular biologist, Ameya Paleja, states that one fungal infection in particular, Candida Auris, has been rapidly mutating among the human population in the past decade. While the possibility of a fungal infection similar to the cordyceps brain infection depicted in the TV show "The Last of Us" may be concerning, most experts believe that it is unlikely that a "zombie fungus" capable of infecting humans will occur.

Ophiocordyceps Infecting Animals

João Araújo, an assistant curator and researcher in mycology at the New York Botanical Garden, explains that the biology of humans and insects is vastly different, and for a fungus to be able to infect and control a human brain, it would have to undergo significant mutation. Furthermore, Ophiocordyceps has been around for 130 million years without being able to leap infect insects to other animals.

Charissa de Bekker, an expert in parasitic fungi and assistant professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, also spoke to Forbes and confirmed that even if the fungus infects human bodies, it cannot manipulate human brains. These pathogens have evolved to control specific insects' minds for millions of years expertly, and it would be a remarkable feat for them to control a human's mind suddenly.

To sum up, the likelihood of humanity falling ill to the cordyceps brain infection like in the show "The Last of Us" is highly unlikely. However, the risk of a different type of fungal pandemic cannot be ruled out. Additionally, Molecular Biologist, Ameya Paleja, pointed out that in the show, characters are seen splattering the fungus with a gunshot, which would spread the spores around instead of killing it, which is an important detail to consider.

Check out more news and information on Candida Auris in Science Times.