Medical researcher works hard to claim more firsts

Discovered presence of deadly fungus in sub-Saharan Africa

- By Mzwandile kaBizokwakhe

A University of the Free State (UFS) staffer who was first to discover a fatal fungus called S. oblongispora mucormycosis in sub-Saharan Africa, hopes this won't be her last discovery.

Bonita van der Westhuizen, a senior lecturer and pathologist in the UFS department of medical microbiology, explained her discovery in words published in the Journal of Case Reports in Pathology last month to make other medical professionals aware of the seriousness of this hitherto unknown fungus.

“Mucorales fungi are known for their fast growth and ability to invade blood vessels.

“This allows the infection to spread quickly through the body, potentially reaching vital organs,” she said, adding that these fungi can resist being killed by immune cells, allowing them to establish infection.