They feed on living hosts. As parasites , fungi live in or on other organisms and get their nutrients from their host. Parasitic fungi use enzymes to break down living tissue, which may causes illness in the host. Disease-causing fungi are parasitic. Recall that parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species in which one, the parasite, benefits from a close association with the other, the host, which is harmed.
Two chickens are living on the same farm. Chicken A has just been infected with a parasite, but Chicken B does not have the parasite. Chicken A probably got it when it went swimming out in the old stagnant lake while the other chickens were sleeping.
Which chicken is more likely to get sick?