Man Hospitalized After Sniffing Dirty Socks Made Fungus Grow in His Lungs

It started with a pesky cough that just wouldn’t go away. It ended with a man in China being hospitalized with a fungal infection—because he’d been regularly sniffing his own dirty socks.

Yes, this is real life.

The unnamed man, described in local media as a “regular office worker” from Chongqing, was admitted to the Southwest Hospital of the Army Medical University after his relentless cough started interfering with his sleep. He’d already tried treating it with over-the-counter meds, but nothing worked.

Man Hospitalized After Sniffing His Own Dirty Socks and Growing Fungus in His Lungs

Doctors ran a scan and found troubling signs of infection in his right lung. That’s when they performed a bronchoscopy—a procedure where a flexible tube is inserted into the throat to collect samples from the airways. The test revealed aspergillosis, a lung disease caused by inhaling spores from aspergillus mold.

During questioning, the man—identified in local media reports under the pseudonym Li Qi—casually revealed that he had a habit of sniffing his used socks after taking them off at the end of the day. And it wasn’t just a one-off. This was apparently part of his everyday routine. Years of sock-sniffing. 

Doctors tested the socks. And yep—same strain of aspergillus fungus. His footwear had essentially turned into a mold nursery. According to Dr. Luo Hu, deputy director of the hospital’s respiratory department, the damp, salty environment inside used socks made it the perfect breeding ground.

“The results of subsequent bronchoscopy showed that Li Qi was suffering from a fungal lung disease caused by aspergillus infection,” added Dr. Liang Peiqiang.

To be clear, most people inhale aspergillus spores every day with no issue. But if you’re deep-sniffing damp fabric covered in sweat, bacteria, and microscopic fungi—on repeat—you’re basically giving that mold a VIP pass to your lungs.

Doctors say the man recovered fully with treatment, though it’s unclear whether he’ll be sticking to safer habits in the future.

And look, we get it. People have weird rituals. But if your bedtime routine involves hotboxing yourself with week-old sock fumes, it might be time to log off and find some other ways to de-stress.

Sniff responsibly, folks. Your lungs will thank you.