Potentially deadly fungus spreading in U.S. and Canada
Post date: Apr 23, 2010 9:22:33 PM
Fungus, called Cryptococcus gatti
The airborne fungus, called Cryptococcus gattii, usually only infects transplant and AIDS patients and people with otherwise compromised immune systems, but the new strain is genetically different, the researchers said."This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people,"
The new strain appears to be unusually deadly, with a mortality rate of about 25 percent among the 21 U.S. cases analyzed,
Freezing can kill the fungus
The spore-forming fungus can cause symptoms in people and animals two weeks or more after exposure. They include a cough that lasts for weeks, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss. It has also turned up in cats, dogs, an alpaca and a sheep. Freezing can kill the fungus
source: reuters.com
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Fungus lives on trees and in soil
headaches, coughing and night sweats.
A competing theory holds that the fungus has been here for a long time, unnoticed until changes in climate or land use patterns allowed it to grow in high enough concentrations that it became airborne and available for causing disease in humans and animals. source: oregonoutdoorjournal.blogspot.com
The microscopic fungus, which lives on trees and in soil, causes persistent headaches, coughing and night sweats. People and animals can become infected by breathing in the spores.
In rare cases, the fungus Cryptococcus gattii causes cryptococcal disease, severe pneumonia, meningitis or death.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health
The photo
shows the lung x-rays of a fungus victim from British Columbia.
