Thai football team may have “cave disease”

The Thai soccer team is at high risk of histoplasmosis infection after inhaling fungal spores in the cave. Photo: Getty

The soccer team had been trapped in the cave system for more than two weeks, and the rescued victims were transferred to Chiang Rai hospital about 80 km away on July 8.

Medical experts have raised concerns about the boys' physical and mental condition following their horrific experience and prolonged exposure to the cave environment.

Dr. Paul Auerbach, professor of emergency medicine at Stanford University, warned that the boys were at risk of histoplasmosis, also known as “cave disease,” caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum.

“There are many fungal spores that are commonly found in caves and are commonly found in bat excretions,” he told CTV News.

“In people with normal immune systems, patients often do not know when they have histoplasmosis. They may have a low fever, a little cough and it looks like a virus and then recover. That is the symptom in most cases,” he said.

“In less common cases, it can become more serious, particularly in people who are significantly immunosuppressed,” he added.

Histoplasmosis typically affects the lungs, and symptoms usually appear 3–17 days after exposure to fungal spores. The main symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, dry cough, and chest tightness.

The Mayo Clinic also notes that the condition can be caused by exposure to soil contaminated with bird and bat excretions, which are common in caves.

Although the disease is relatively harmless in most cases, it can be serious in children and the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems.

The rescue operation resumed on the morning of July 9. Photo: Getty

Rescue operation commander Narongsak Osottanakorn said on July 8 that the rescue plan was suspended overnight after four victims were brought out. “The operation was more successful than we expected,” he said. Efforts resumed this morning (July 9).