Man who reportedly sniffs dirty and smelly socks daily hospitalized with infection in lungs

A 37-year-old man from China identified simply as Peng has been hospitalized with severe complications relating to his lungs, the complications are as a result of his daily habit of sniffing his worn, dirty socks every day after he returns home.

When asked, he said it seemed harmless at the time; he just enjoyed taking in the odor of his feet after a long workday.

Follow us on our Twitter account @amomama_usa to learn more

Peng who lives in Zhangzhuo in China's Fujian Province was admitted in the hospital after complaining about tightness in the chest and a lot of chest pain he was experiencing while breathing and coughing.

Initially Peng received treatment for suspected pneumonia, but when his condition was not improving, but worsening instead, the doctors had to run further tests and discovered Peng had developed a severe fungal infection in his lungs.

Upon further probe, the doctors realized that his daily habit of sniffing his dirty, worn socks has caused a diagnosis of Pulmonary Fungal Disease. The doctors suspect the inhaling of fungal pores deeply embedded in the dirty socks.

While Peng has admitted to being addicted to sniffing his dirty socks, doctors are ruling it as the major cause for his chest infection and also his lack of sleep, all these factors led to a breakdown in his immunity, leaving him vulnerable to the infections.

One of the doctors on the case; Mai Zhuanying attributes the infections to the patient lack of rest and sleep due to taking care of his infant at home “leading to a weaker immune system.”

The Pulmonary fungal disease has been identified as Aspergillosis which is caused by a particular form of mold.

“The illness usually resulting from aspergillosis usually affects the respiratory system, but their signs and severity vary greatly.” the Mayo Clinic explained.

According to research, the mold which frequently causes this infection is everywhere; indoor and outdoor.Although it is often not severe, few people with weak immune systems, underlying lung disease and a history of asthma have had severe side effects from this mold resulting in coughing of blood, dizziness, difficulty in breathing and other symptoms.

Aspergillosis causes shortness in breath Weight lossFatigue Bloody CoughsFeverPeople who suffer from this respiratory infection are advised to see the doctor if they have asthma and weakened immunity.Long-term use of Corticosteroids for chemotherapy has been known to cause these infections.

Peng is expected to recover fully after receiving the proper treatment; he may drop his sniffing habit after this attack and focus on getting cleaner and healthier habits.

Infections can come from odd sources. Let's all be careful.