Posted on 04/23/2010 2:17:33 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
A potentially deadly strain of fungus is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia, researchers reported on Thursday.
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," said Edmond Byrnes of Duke University in North Carolina, who led the study.
"The findings presented here document that the outbreak of C. gattii in Western North America is continuing to expand throughout this temperate region," the researchers said in their report, published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Pathogens here
"Our findings suggest further expansion into neighboring regions is likely to occur and aim to increase disease awareness in the region."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Not exactly. People do die from it.
“In 2007, there were 36 deaths due to valley fever, and the mortality rate was 0.6 deaths per 100,000 population.”
From the Arizona Valley fever Report of 2007 - these 36 deaths were in Arizona only.
http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/epi/pdf/VF_Annual_Report_2007.pdf
Some think it was WNV that killed Alexander The Great.
Not quite twenty years ago I lived in the Northwest. Had a really dirty, hot, nasty job for several years in an OSB plant. Picked up a fungal ear infection. The docs kept treating me for a viral infection, which helped not at all. Finally one of them figured it out and treated me appropriately. Seriously, I thought I was going to die.
Did it originate in Kenya?
Diagnosis is the true art of medicine. A good diagnostician is what you want!!
A mortality rate of 33% isn’t something to sneeze at.
Ping For later
Great.
I’m going on vacation to southern Vancouver Island next week, where the fungus has been for 10 years. And I’m going for the camping and hiking, so I’ll be right in the middle.
Sure hope this thing doesn’t release the spores until summer.
Response: I wonder in what Third World Hell Hole this one developed?
Another CIA creation. Bush’s fault.
> 21 cases, 6 deaths. Hardly the Black Death.
Exactly!
Let me know when several percent of the population have it. Then I’ll worry.
My mom always said, Robitussin cures everything.
It’s among us.
It's for real. I had systemic Candidiasis and it was causing a multitude of health problems. My primary care physician (regular MD, but with an interest in holistic approaches) prescribed Nystatin and Diflucan. The Diflucan did for the major overt symptoms, but it took several YEARS to totally heal from it.
The probable cause was from taking too many antibiotics for too long because of sinus infections. Killed off the "beneficial buggies" that normally live in the GI tract and allows the Candida to get established and grow. If you need to take a long course of antibiotics, be darned sure to also take active acidophilus culture capsules.
If only everyone had health care coverage, this would not have happened.
Or probiotics.
Same stuff, different name. I try to get brands that have as many different types of flora as possible.
Bath tubs still kill more.
YAWN...
Oh, I guess we’re supposed to panic and look for the Kenyan to come riding in to save us.
Seriously, we may have to declare Martial Law and suspend elections indefinately!
bump
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