Brazil Study Detects Sporothrix Fungus in 81 Wild Animals, Suggesting New Reservoir Hosts
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Jun 18
Brazil Study Detects Sporothrix Fungus in 81 Wild Animals, Suggesting New Reservoir Hosts
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Jun 18
Summary
Researchers found Sporothrix brasiliensis DNA in internal organs from 81 wild animals collected along two highways in Paraná, extending the fungus beyond cats to mammals, birds and reptiles.
178 tissue samples taken from hearts, livers, lungs and bladders between 2017 and 2023 showed the most frequent positives in heart and liver, suggesting the pathogen may circulate through the body without obvious disease.
The newly identified carriers included reptiles such as the false coral snake, wild birds including toucanets and doves, and mammals such as opossums, agoutis and southern tiger cats.
The findings challenge the view that higher body temperatures protect birds from pathogenic fungi and raise the possibility that S. brasiliensis is adapting to new hosts.
S. brasiliensis already drives cat-linked sporotrichosis outbreaks in Brazil and neighboring countries, and CDC experts warn it could eventually reach the United States despite not yet being detected in North America.
A deadly fungus is hiding in wild animals without symptoms. What does this silent reservoir mean for future global outbreaks?
As a deadly fungus spreads in wildlife, are US health systems prepared for its seemingly inevitable arrival?
Brazilian Wildlife Harbor Pathogenic Sporothrix: New Findings Signal Urgent One Health Response to Growing Epidemic
Overview
A groundbreaking study published in March 2026 revealed that pathogenic Sporothrix DNA was found in the internal organs of wild animals in Brazil, significantly advancing our understanding of Sporothrix ecology. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about the fungus’s host range and survival, showing that Sporothrix can infect new host species, including birds previously thought to be protected due to their high body temperatures. As a result, the known reservoirs of Sporothrix now extend far beyond domestic animals, highlighting the need to rethink how this pathogen circulates in nature and its potential impact on public health.