A patient in his 50s, identified by his surname Kim, visited a hospital due to gum pain.

[Kim / Patient with Fungal Sinusitis: My gums were in such bad condition that I received treatment for them.]

Despite receiving antibiotic treatment for over a month, his symptoms only worsened.

[Kim / Patient with Fungal Sinusitis: I couldn't smell things well. And my head always felt a bit dizzy and heavy.]

After transferring to a specialized hospital, he discovered that the issue was not gum disease, but sinusitis, also known as a sinus infection.

The problem was in his nose.

However, there was something unusual.

Sinusitis usually clears up with antibiotic treatment, but it had no effect on Kim.

This was because he was infected not by common bacteria, but by a fungus that does not respond to antibiotics.

[Jang Gyu-seon / Otorhinolaryngologist: You can see white lesions. These are masses of fungi inside the sinuses.]

A survey by a specialized otorhinolaryngology hospital showed that the number of patients with fungal sinusitis, which used to be around 40 to 50 per year, surged to 122 last year.

Diseases caused by fungi are increasing significantly worldwide.

Recently, a research team at the University of Georgia in the United States identified climate change and an aging population as the causes.

This is because fungi easily attach to people with weakened immune systems in hot and humid environments.

There are concerns that fungal sinusitis will increase even more rapidly in South Korea, which is experiencing rapid climate change and an ultra-fast aging population.

Fungal sinusitis is characterized by symptoms appearing in only one side of the nose, accompanied by pain and a foul odor.

Since antibiotics are completely ineffective, it is recommended to undergo a quick examination through a nasal endoscopy or CT scan and receive surgery as soon as possible.

[Lee Sang-duk / Otorhinolaryngologist: After removing all the fungal masses, we wash out the fungal debris embedded in the mucous membrane with saline.]

Fungal infections can erode skull and eye socket bones.

In cases where the immune system is compromised, such as in patients with long-term diabetes, very aggressive fungi can grow, and if not treated in time, the mortality rate can reach 49%.

For prevention, it is important to avoid prolonged colds and maintain good nasal hygiene, such as by rinsing with saline solution.

(Video reporting: Kang Dong-chul | Video editing: Park Na-young | Design: Seo Seung-hyun)

Reported by Cho Dong-chan, Guest Reporter