A CDC-backed report describes a sharp rise in detected infections with Cladophialophora bantiana, a rare mold that can cause brain abscesses and carries a case-fatality rate of up to 70%. A University of Washington clinical reference laboratory identified 48 confirmed cases and one probable case from January 2009 to July 2026. Annual counts ranged from one to five during 2009-2023, then jumped to eight in 2024 and 14 in 2025. The detection rate per 1,000 central nervous system specimens more than tripled from 8.4 in 2017-2023 to 26 in 2025.
Most cases — 88% — were found in intracranial CNS tissue, while 12% were in lung specimens, pointing to a presumed respiratory route of infection. The median patient age was 68. Cases were spread across 21 states and the District of Columbia, with California, Florida, and Texas reporting the most. Researchers called it alarming that the infection is appearing in otherwise healthy people, not just those with profound immunosuppression.
The reasons for the rise are unclear. It could partly reflect more submitted specimens and better molecular testing, but researchers also pointed to a warming world, fungal adaptation to higher temperatures, and human encroachment on environmental reservoirs. Because molds are hard to grow in the lab, they suspect the true number of cases is higher than detected. For clinicians facing a brain abscess in a healthy patient with negative routine cultures, the authors suggest considering rare causes like C. bantiana and treating with surgical excision plus combination antifungal therapy.