Could A Zombie Apocalypse Be The Last of Us?

On this week's episode of the pod, we take a detour from science into science fiction and discuss whether the premise of the hit video game and HBO series, The Last of Us, could ever be a reality!

We are joined by infectious disease expert, Doctor Neuro, to tackle the topic. We start with some mycology and entomology and chat about Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps, colloquially called "zombie-ant fungus" and how they, luckily, cannot infect humans. We shift gears to immunology, specifically, differences in ant and human immune systems and why it is highly unlikely that humans could ever be infected with these fungal pathogens. We suspend reality for a hypothetical scenario in which these fungi could infect humans and the ways our bodies might respond. We talk about vaccines for fungal pathogens and how they could potentially be developed. We also discuss how climate change may accelerate the emergence of pathogens and subsequent implications for human health. You do not want to miss this!

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