Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another (the host). In fungi, this often involves the fungi deriving nutrients from the host, causing harm to it.
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Fungal parasites can infect plants, animals, and humans, leading to various diseases.
Obligate parasitic fungi cannot complete their life cycle without exploiting a suitable host.
Some parasitic fungi produce specialized structures like haustoria to penetrate and extract nutrients from the host cells.
Examples of fungal parasites include rusts, smuts, and chytrids that affect crops and other plants.
Mycoses are fungal infections in humans caused by pathogenic fungi like Candida and Aspergillus.