2<\/p>\n A man developed a severe cough which turned out to be a fungal lung infectionCredit: Southwest Hospital of the Army Medical University 2<\/p>\n He had a habit of smelling his funky socksCredit: Getty<\/p>\n The man, from Chongqing in southwestern China<\/a>, who was given the pseudonym of Li Qi in local media reports, was racked by coughing <\/a>fits so bad that they kept him up at night.<\/p>\n He bought himself cough syrup<\/a>, but to no avail. <\/p>\n His hacking continued and he developed blood shot eyes. <\/p>\n Eventually, the man visited the Southwest Hospital of the Army Medical University. <\/p>\n He underwent CT and MRI scans, which showed signs of inflammation and infection<\/a> in the lower part of his right lung. <\/p>\n Liang Peiqiang, chief physician of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Southwest Hospital of the Army Medical University, told the People’s Daily Health<\/a> Client: “The results of subsequent bronchoscopy showed that Li Qi was suffering from a fungal lung disease caused by aspergillus infection.”<\/p>\n Breathing in tiny spores of aspergillus mould can cause an infection called aspergillosis<\/a>, which tends to affect the lungs and cause breathing difficulties. <\/p>\n The mould tends to grow in moist environments such as soil, compost and rotting leaves, as well as plants<\/a> and trees. <\/p>\n But it can also crop up in dust, damp buildings, bedding and air conditioning systems. <\/p>\n Medics interviewed the patient and it emerged he had a habit of smelling his funky socks<\/a> after taking them off at the end of the day. <\/p>\n “After hearing what he said, we realised that this habit of Li Qi might be the culprit that caused his lung inflammation,” Dr Penang said. <\/p>\n![\"Doctor](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/www-am730-com-hk-e4-986443724.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/man-sock-hand-covering-nose-986443222.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n