NEW SPECIES OF PARACOCCIDIOIDES FUNGUS DISCOVERED IN MATO GROSSO AND ALREADY USED IN DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
A groundbreaking discovery by researchers from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) has revealed a new species of the Paracoccidioides fungus — commonly known in Brazil as "Paracoco." The fungus causes Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a disease that primarily affects rural workers and individuals exposed to soil.
Now, nearly a decade after the discovery, the research team has begun implementing new diagnostic tests that include the antigen of the newly identified species in cities around Cuiabá.
How Does Infection Happen?
According to mycologist Rosane Hahn, the fungus is naturally found in soil and infects people when its spores are inhaled.
“Farmers, machine operators, miners, gardeners — anyone who works with soil, directly or indirectly, is at risk. They inhale the fungus, get infected, and in many cases develop the disease,” she explains.
Silent Disease: Symptoms May Appear Years Later
PCM can remain latent in the body for years before symptoms emerge. That was the case for Nirvali, a patient who spent two years searching for a diagnosis.
“When the doctor said the fungus wasn’t Brazilian, I remembered we lived in Venezuela in 1997. My husband worked in agriculture, but I didn’t. If I caught it there, it only showed up now,” she recalled.
Common symptoms include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, mouth sores, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal pain. The disease is not contagious y has no cure, but it can be treated with proper medical care.
Why Are Women Less Affected?
Infectious disease specialist Giovana Feuzer explains that women under the age of 50 are less likely to develop the disease.
“The difference is likely due to both lifestyle and biology. Men are more exposed because they work more in rural environments, but estrogen also seems to offer some protective effect against the disease,” she says.
Discovery of Paracoccidioides lutzii
Until 2013, the only known species of the fungus was P. brasiliensis. In 2014, UFMT researchers, helped identify a new species: Paracoccidioides lutzii.
However, this species is still not officially included in Brazil’s Health Ministry diagnostic protocols.
“The tests used across the country still rely on antigens from P. brasiliensis. This means that people infected with P. lutzii often receive false-negative results,” warns Hahn.
New Antigen Already in Use — But Only Locally
Despite the lack of national recognition, the research team has already implemented the new antigen in diagnostic tests across nine municipalities in the greater Cuiabá area.
Dr. Natasha Slhessarenko, also involved in the project, emphasizes the impact on rural communities.
“Most of our patients are small-scale farmers — the very people who feed the country. They may carry the fungus for years without symptoms, only to develop the disease later. That’s why early and accurate diagnosis is so important,” she says.
The lab at UFMT has been conducting serological tests using the lutzii antigen for nine years.
Awaiting National Recognition
While the science is advancing locally, the Brazilian Ministry of Health has yet to approve testing that includes P. lutzii. Researchers are calling for updates to national testing protocols to avoid misdiagnoses and ensure better care across the country.
Quick Facts:
- PCM is not contagious, but it’s chronic and requires long-term treatment.
- It affects around 50 patients per year at Júlio Müller University Hospital in Cuiabá alone.
- The disease primarily strikes rural workers in Brazil’s Central-West, Southeast, and Northern regions.