date:Jul 10, 2014
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When they injected spores from the fungus into the bloodstream of mice via their tail vein, they found it produced a lethal systemic infection in four out of five diabetic mice, which were being used as a model of one of the major risk factors for human infection. However, when they fed spores by mouth to five diabetic mice, the results were less dramatic, resulting in severe weight loss in only one case.
The Duke researchers found that the fungus can survive passage through the gastrointest