- Posted January 26, 2026
Tennessee Fungus Outbreak Sickens 35, Kills 1, Linked to Soil Exposure
Tennessee health officials are investigating a cluster of infections tied to a fungus found in soil, after at least 35 people became sick.
One death is under review.
The illness, called histoplasmosis, affects the lungs and can feel like the flu. Symptoms may include fever, cough, chest pain, chills, tiredness and night sweats.
Most people recover, but serious illness, and in rare cases, death, can happen, especially in people with weak immune systems.
The fungus that causes histoplasmosis lives in soil, especially in areas along the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, including central Tennessee.
It can become airborne when soil is disturbed, often through construction, landscaping, farming or yardwork, or through contact with bird or bat droppings in soil, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Health officials say the Tennessee outbreak is centered in Maury and Williamson counties, south of Nashville. The Tennessee Department of Health reported a rise in severe cases starting in September, mostly in the towns of Spring Hill and Thompson’s Station.
It “is commonly found throughout the soil in Tennessee, so it can be challenging to completely prevent exposure,” the department said in a statement.
The CDC is providing technical support for the investigation.
One of the people affected was Alyssia Brown, 39, of Spring Hill. Her family says she began feeling sick in October. Tests for flu and COVID came back negative, and early scans showed clear lungs.
Brown did not have health insurance and put off getting care, her family told The New York Times. After weeks of illness, she became much worse in December and went to the emergency room, where doctors tested her for histoplasmosis.
She was found dead in her bedroom on Dec. 15. Her family learned three days later that she had tested positive for the infection.
An autopsy is underway to confirm the cause of death.
“She was saying that in the areas that she was driving, ‘there’s just so much construction happening and so much excavating, and they’re knocking down these old buildings,’ ” her sister, Amity Brown, told The Times.
Experts say up to 90% of people in the region may be exposed to the fungus at some point in their lives, but most never get sick.
The disease does not spread between people or animals.
Dr. Lili Tao, a professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said most cases are mild and treatable.
“Outbreaks of histoplasmosis have been documented as far back as the late 1930s, with case numbers ranging from a few to several hundred,” she told The Times.
Symptoms usually appear three days to two weeks after exposure. People at higher risk for serious illness include those exposed to large amounts of spores and people with weakened immune systems.
Doctors in the area have been asked to report any patients with symptoms who test positive or may be linked to known cases.
More information
The Mayo Clinic has more on histoplasmosis.
SOURCE: The New York Times, Jan. 21, 2026
