A subset of fungi called pin moulds, which are members of the fungal order Mucorales, can cause an infection known as mucormycosis. These fungi typically invade the sinus and lung tissues, and can jeopardize a person’s eyesight, owing to the proximity of the eyes to infected sinuses. In severe cases, the infection can be fatal. Humans face lifelong exposure to airborne spores from Mucorales fungi (such as those from the genera Mucor, Rhizopus or Lichtheimia) because these microorganisms are prevalent in soil and decaying plant matter. Individuals with poorly controlled diabetes are most at risk of developing mucormycosis, as are people with compromised immune systems or those with severe COVID-19 infections1. Writing in Nature, Pikoulas et al.2 report that having a low level of the protein albumin in the serum, the liquid component of the blood, is a risk factor for mucormycosis.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03985-7
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Competing Interests The authors declare no competing interests.
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