The mold is Cladophialophora bantiana, a rare fungus associated with brain abscesses. A CDC report describes more detections at one University of Washington clinical reference laboratory in recent years, including 14 in 2025. That is a concerning signal, but it is not evidence that infections are rising across the United States: routine national surveillance does not exist, and the reasons for the laboratory’s increase are unknown.
What the CDC report found
The CDC’s October 2, 2026, report reviewed broad-range fungal PCR results from the University of Washington (UW) clinical reference laboratory. From January 2009 through July 1, 2026, the laboratory identified 48 confirmed cases and one probable case. These are detections in specimens submitted to that laboratory, not a count of all infections in the country. CDC MMWR report
Of the 49 detections, 43 came from intracranial central nervous system tissue and six from lung specimens. Cases originated in 21 states and the District of Columbia; three had no state of origin available. The report does not establish that these locations represent where infections were acquired.
Raw detections and the specimen-adjusted rate
Annual detections at UW ranged from one to five during 2009–2023, then increased to eight in 2024 and 14 in 2025. The authors also compared detections with the volume of CNS specimens submitted to the laboratory. The average was 8.4 detections per 1,000 submitted CNS specimens during 2017–2023; in 2025, the rate was 26 per 1,000. That comparison suggests the increase was not explained solely by more CNS specimens being referred to UW, but it remains a measure of one laboratory’s results—not national incidence. CDC MMWR report
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Why scientists say the mold is “on the rise”—and what that means
The phrase refers to the increase in detections at the UW laboratory, especially in 2024 and 2025. The report does not show that the fungus is spreading faster throughout the United States. Routine national surveillance for C. bantiana is not in place, so there is no nationwide dataset in this report against which to confirm a broader trend. The authors state: “Reasons for the apparent increase are unknown.” CDC MMWR report
More systematic reporting would help determine whether the UW pattern is occurring elsewhere and clarify how often infections happen. The report also calls for research into epidemiologic risk factors and possible changes in virulence; these are open questions, not established explanations for the observed increase.
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How the fungus may reach the brain—and what remains unclear
C. bantiana is a darkly pigmented mold unusually associated with brain infection. Brain abscess is its predominant reported manifestation, and infections have occurred in people with and without known immunocompromising conditions. The CDC report says approximately half of patients have no preceding immunocompromising condition. CDC MMWR report
Researchers do not know the fungus’s natural environmental reservoir. Inhalation or direct inoculation through a skin injury, followed by spread through the bloodstream to the brain, are presumed routes rather than confirmed pathways. The six lung detections in the UW series are compatible with a possible respiratory route, but they do not prove how any patient became infected.
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How serious is an infection?
The CDC report describes a 60%–70% case-fatality rate even with aggressive therapy. This figure applies to reported infections and should not be read as a measure of an individual person’s chance of becoming infected. The report describes the disease as rare, and its single-laboratory data cannot establish personal risk or population-wide prevalence.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What clinicians may consider
The CDC report says clinicians should consider C. bantiana when evaluating a patient with a brain abscess. It advises prompt antifungal therapy and notes that surgical excision or drainage might improve outcomes when feasible. The most effective antifungal regimen is not known. These are clinical considerations for medical professionals—not instructions for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. CDC MMWR report
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