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A CDC report describes 49 confirmed or probable cases of Cladophialophora bantiana identified by a University of Washington reference laboratory from 2009 through July 2026. Annual detections rose from one to five in 2009–2023 to 14 in 2025, but the report does not establish why; the infection can cause brain abscesses and has been linked to case-fatality rates of up to 70%.
A U.S. clinical reference laboratory recorded a sharp rise in detections of Cladophialophora bantiana, a rare fungus that can cause brain abscesses, including 14 cases in 2025 compared with one to five a year during 2009–2023. The CDC report describes 49 confirmed or probable cases identified from January 2009 through July 2026; researchers said the reason for the increase is not known.
The laboratory at the University of Washington identified 48 confirmed cases and one probable case over the study period. Detections rose to eight in 2024 and 14 in 2025. The report, written by Joshua Lieberman and colleagues, was published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Most infections affect the central nervous system: 88% of the cases were detected in intracranial tissue specimens, while 12% were found in lung specimens. The researchers said inhalation or direct inoculation after a skin injury are presumed routes of infection. The cases were identified in samples from 21 states and the District of Columbia. California had six, Florida and Texas had five each, and Pennsylvania had four.
The annual rate of detection in central nervous system specimens also increased: from an average of 8.4 cases per 1,000 specimens in 2017–2023 to 26 per 1,000 in 2025. That is a rate among specimens tested at the laboratory, not an estimate of the infection rate across the U.S. population. The median age among patients was 68.
A Rare Infection With Severe Outcomes
The findings draw attention to a fungus that can cause a serious infection even in people who do not have a known immune-system disorder. C. bantiana commonly presents as a brain abscess, and researchers cite reported case-fatality rates of up to 70%. That figure describes the severity reported in cases; it does not mean that 70% of people exposed to the fungus will die.
Recognizing the possibility may matter when clinicians are investigating a brain abscess that remains unexplained after routine testing. Lieberman told MedPage Today that the infection is a rare cause in both healthy and immunosuppressed people, and said its occurrence in apparently healthy patients is alarming. The report does not provide evidence that the increase represents a comparable rise in risk for any individual or the general public.
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How Laboratory Detections Were Counted
The report is based on specimens sent to a specialized reference laboratory, which tests samples from across the country. Its counts show what that lab detected, not all infections occurring in the United States. Researchers said the true incidence is uncertain, and that difficulty growing molds in laboratory cultures may mean infections are missed.
The authors and Lieberman also raised several possible explanations for the higher counts: more specimens being submitted, improved identification through molecular testing, environmental changes including warming temperatures, and human activity bringing people into closer contact with the fungus’s environmental reservoir. These are possible explanations, not causes established by the report. Lieberman said at least one other specialized U.S. fungal laboratory had also seen an increase in detections.
“C. bantiana is a rare but important cause of brain abscess in both healthy and immunosuppressed people.”
— Joshua Lieberman, University of Washington School of Medicine, speaking to MedPage Today
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The Cause And Scale Remain Unknown
The laboratory data cannot determine whether the increase reflects more infections, more testing, improved detection, or a combination of factors. The report does not establish a climate-related cause, despite researchers identifying warming conditions as one possibility. Nor does the count measure national incidence: it is based on specimens submitted to one reference laboratory.
It is also unclear how many infections go undiagnosed. Researchers said mold cultures can be difficult, and noted that their figures may undercount cases. The available material does not provide a population-based estimate, a complete account of patient outcomes, or evidence explaining why the fungus tends to affect the brain.
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Further Detection And Clinical Recognition
The report does not announce a new CDC testing program or a scheduled follow-up. Researchers say additional observations from specialized laboratories and better understanding of testing patterns could help clarify whether the increase reflects a real change in infections. The scale and cause will remain difficult to pin down without data beyond submitted specimens.
For clinicians, Lieberman said the fungus may be worth considering when a brain abscess cannot be diagnosed through cerebrospinal fluid testing or routine culture, particularly in an apparently healthy patient. The source report says treatment involves surgical removal of the abscess alongside combination antifungal therapy; treatment decisions require specialist clinical judgment. The CDC report does not set out a public screening recommendation.
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Key Questions
What is Cladophialophora bantiana?
C. bantiana is a rare fungus that can cause infection in the central nervous system, often presenting as a brain abscess. The report says infection can occur in both apparently healthy and immunosuppressed people.
How many cases did the laboratory identify?
The University of Washington reference laboratory identified 48 confirmed and one probable case from January 2009 through July 2026. Those are laboratory detections, not a complete count of U.S. infections.
Why did detections rise?
The reason is unclear. Researchers cited more submitted specimens and improved molecular detection as possibilities, as well as potential environmental factors. The report does not establish which, if any, caused the increase.
Does the report show that the fungus is spreading nationwide?
Cases were detected in samples from 21 states and the District of Columbia, but the data come from specimens sent to one reference laboratory. They do not establish the infection’s prevalence or a change in risk across the U.S. population.
What should readers know about the reported death rate?
Researchers cite case-fatality rates of up to 70% for this infection. This describes reported outcomes among cases, not the likelihood that an exposed person will become infected or die.
Source: rss
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