Drinking yerba mate infusion: a potential risk factor for invasive fungal diseases?

N.O. Vieira, A. Peres, V.R. Aquino, A.C. Pasqualotto. Drinking yerba mate infusion: a potential risk factor for invasive fungal diseases? Transpl Infect Dis 2010: 12: 565–569. All rights reserved : Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) infusion is a very popular drink in South America. Although several studies have evaluated the potential for fungal contamination in foodstuff, very few investigations have been conducted with yerba mate samples. In order to evaluate for the presence of potentially pathogenic fungi, here we studied 8 brands of yerba mate commercially available in Southern Brazil. Fungal survival in adverse conditions such as gastric pH was determined by incubating samples at pH 1.5. Because hot water is generally used to prepare yerba mate infusion, the effect of several temperatures on fungal growth was also investigated. All but 1 yerba mate brand showed substantial fungal growth, in the range of