Researchers developed a test to identify different strains of a dangerous fungus called Trichosporon asahii that causes serious infections in hospitals. Using this test on samples from South America, they discovered that multiple patients in different hospitals were infected with genetically identical strains, suggesting the fungus was spreading between patients. This typing method is faster and cheaper than other genetic tests, making it useful for hospitals in countries with limited resources to track and control fungal outbreaks.