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Airborne Fungus Expected to Spread in U.S
A potentially deadly airborne fungus, widely dubbed the killer fungus, has infected more than 50 people in the U.S., according to the CDC, and is expected to spread from the Pacific Northwest where it first surfaced.
The killer fungus, which first surfaced in Canada in 1999, appeared in the U.S. in Washington in early 2006. Since then, reports of cases have occurred in Oregon and Northern California. “We wouldn’t recommend that people change their habits in any way,” Julie Harris, PhD, MPH, a staff epidemiologist with the CDC, tells WebMD. “We wouldn’t recommend people stay indoors or don’t go hiking or don’t go outdoors.”
The fungus species triggering the infection is Cryptococcus gattii, which can cause pneumonia or meningitis. But the infection ”simply is not common enough for people to warrant changing behavior,” Harris says. “It’s still very rare. People should be concerned but not alarmed.”
At a news briefing Friday, Katrina Hedberg, MD, MPH, interim state epidemiologist for the Oregon Department of Health Services Public Health Division, told reporters that it’s also rare that people exposed to the fungus end up getting sick.
While the CDC wouldn’t specify the number of deaths, citing incomplete data, Hedberg says that ”of the 50-plus cases, around 10 of them have died.”
Twelve of those 50 cases, including three deaths, have been in the state of Washington, according to Nicola Marsden-Haug, MPH, an epidemiologist with the Washington State Department of Health, Shoreline.
Marcia Goldoft, MD, a medical epidemiologist with the department, urges people to keep the threat in perspective. “The benefits of outdoor activity and exercise far outweigh the risks of a rare disease such as C. gattii.”
Tracking the Fungus
Researchers in the U.S. have been studying the fungus, traditionally located in tropical locations, for several years, says Joseph Heitman, MD, PhD, chair of the department of molecular genetics and microbiology at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
The fungus, he tells WebMD, ”originates in soil and is associated with certain tree species, and becomes airborne.”
While the fungus was typically seen in tropical areas of South America and other tropical and subtropical regions, it surfaced in Vancouver Island, Canada, in 1999, says Heitman, the senior author on a report on the fungus published online this week in the journal PLoS Pathogens.
“It is a microbial pathogen that can cause significant illness and even death, but it is very uncommon,” he says.
Infections can be treated with antifungal agents, but no vaccine is available for C. gattii, Heitman says.
The first recorded U.S. case was in Orcas Island, Wash., Heitman says. That was followed by cases in Washington and Oregon.
Hedberg says the 50 reported cases have occurred in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
Heitman’s team has discovered a new pathogenic strain of the fungus in the Oregon cases.
Unlike another fungus type, Cryptococcus neoformans, which typically infects those who are HIV-positive or other immunocompromised people, the C. gattii fungus can infect apparently healthy people.
T”The fungus is present in the environment,” Hedberg says. “It’s present in soil or in trees.” As trucks transport lumber down the I-5 corridor in the Pacific Northwest, she says, the fungus has likely spread.
The airborne fungus is inhaled. “People have to inhale it to get sick,” Hedberg says. “It’s not spread from person to person at all.”
And, she adds, many are exposed but few actually get sick.
The time from exposure to the fungus to onset of symptoms varies, Heitman says. It could be two to eight months.
Fungus Symptoms
Four symptoms are typical of infection with C. gattii, says Harris of the CDC. They include:
Severe headache
Fever
Chills
Shortness of breath
Some people infected with the fungus have just one of the symptoms, she tells WebMD, but often they have all four.
See your doctor if you experience the symptoms and think you may have been exposed, she advises.
She encourages doctors to be alert to the symptoms in patients, especially if they live in or have visited the Pacific Northwest
http://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20100423/airborne-fungus-expected-to-spread-in-u-s
I think this airborne fungus is probably exactly or nearly the same as
when you open a bag of ‘potting mix,’ one has to be very careful not to breath in any dust or ‘floaties’ that may come up from the bag. In Australia, we hear of cases from time to time (perhaps a couple a year)about a person becoming infected in this way; but it is rare, and if you become ill, with breathing difficulties, you ‘Must’ see your doctor at once. Anyway when you are gardening I hope you read the instructions on all bottles & bags;and use gloves & masks when advised to do so. Dorothy Forbes(Aust.)
Since they say it’s airborne and in the soil and trees, why not just LOOK UP at the constant spraying of grids above our heads? Some call them chemtrails. For years I’ve been asking people to be aware of our blue skies having been stolen and turned to white. This spray goes everywhere, obviously onto our soil and trees. Some say it’s “conspiracy” but all you have to do is look UP!
yet another form of genocide. what a surprise!
When my dad died two years ago from lung cancer, my brother (a PhD neuroscientist) and I decided to order an autopsy as he went from diagnosis to death in less than a month. He didn’t even have time to make it to the oncologist for a treatment protocol. He lived in Vancouver, B.C.
I had read an article about pathogenic fungus colonies being discovered in cancer patients, but not enough research had been done since most people who die of cancer are not autopsied.
My curiousity was confirmed as an aspergillus colony was discovered in the left lobe of his lungs. These infections are highly fatal, especially in people who already have compromised lung function. I track chemtrails and read reports on airborne unidentifiable pathogens, Morgellon’s, etc., and wonder where we are heading with these anomalous distributions of potentially lethal fungi, and their possible relationship to weather engineering and climate change.
If it is NOT as described in the the article ” common enough to “warrant” changing behavior…..WHY are YOU publishing it???
The article states: ” The fungus species triggering the infection is Cryptococcus gattii, which can cause pneumonia or meningitis. But the infection ‘’simply is not common enough for people to warrant changing behavior,” Harris says. “It’s still very rare. People should be concerned but not alarmed.”
While the CDC wouldn’t specify the number of deaths, citing incomplete data, Hedberg says that ”of the 50-plus cases, around 10 of them have died
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why NOT use this news article as a “opportunity” –to educate folks on how to build up their immune system…rather than as a fear …tactic
Promote….how to build up your immune system…..as an “ad hoc” post….
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Susan –
You are right about fungus being linked to cancer. You should watch Doug Kaufmann’s show – KNOW THE CAUSE http://www.knowthecause.com he talks about fungus and cancer as being one and the same. He said scientists cannot differentiate between fungus and cancer. You can lookup Fungus = Cancer online and see what you get. Anyway, if you ever do get fungus/cancer – essential oils are very powerful – OREGANO, THYME kills fungus. Try it.
Monika
I use Olive Leaf extract in a capsule from the health food store. I have ringing in my ears and Vertigo and Vitiligo. This is caused from fungus. A 92 year old woman had these problems and they went away after a couple of years and she continues to take this. She lives in Arizona. I live in LA area.
Bingo
The spraying, top secret of course, started with Doctor Teller’s crackpot idea of spraying aluminum coated polymers to stop, wait for it, “Global Warming”, since shown as a con job.
Now the 20,000 pound modules are loaded on the spray planes operated by the USAF and the poor airmen think they are helping to save the world. In actuality they have NO IDEA of what they are spreading.
These spray planes will play a key role in our Political Pandemic as they poison our lungs in various ways to soften them up for the bio-weapons such as H1N1 and its deadly sister H5N1.
Truth is the FIRST “National Security” priority.
“See your doctor if you experience the symptoms and think you may have been exposed, she advises.”
If you go to most docs with Morgallons and SHOW them the fibers they will tell you it is all in your head.
Morgallons is a POLITICAL disease the etiology of which involves SPRAY PLANES.
AIDS is a political disease the etiology of which may involve “vaccinations”.
http://www.blackopradio.com/Aids-made-in-America-Jourv5n3.pdf
H5N1 is a political disease the etiology of which involves bio-weapons, the WHO, the CDC, et al.
Time to wake up people we do not have too much time.
good job! a helpful answer! these are always the best. thank you so much! i will try it.
“A potentially deadly airborne fungus”
ANYTHING effecting our LUNGS should grab our attention. Our lungs are the target of our Political Pandemic. Death by hemorrhagic lung has been the greatest cause of mortality so far. Adding an airborne fungus to the attack on our lungs is important.
Attacks on our LUNGS
o Promulgation of the deadly advice to avoid the noon sun
o Promulgation of the deadly advice to wear sunscreen
o A vitamin D RDA of 200 – 400 IU
o The resulting abysmally low vitamin D levels 90% of us have. These low vitamin D levels fail to protect our lungs by not allowing the antimicrobial peptides to function. The antimicrobial peptides engage the threat in the upper lung and do not allow serious infection deep into the lung.
o Promulgation of the deadly advice to avoid saturated fat. Our lungs use saturated fat to rebuild which they MUST constantly do.
o A vitamin C RDA of 80 or so. Low levels of vitamin C may result in hemorrhagic lung should you suffer a serious lung problem.
Sad to say but MUCH of the common medical dogma over the last 40 years has had the result, and IMO intention, of softening up our lungs for the great culling.
These last few comment pages have been awesome! I have been sick with a mysterious illness for the last 9 years. I went to Doctors for the first four years. They helped zilch! I described my symptoms of severe head/neck pain, memory loss, vertigo, night sweats & some others along the way. They sent from one specialist to the next. Each was interested until the 3rd or 4th visit, after which they had no idea what was wrong or they couldn’t think of any more ways to bill out the insurance. Then they would pat me on the back and say its good news because all the tests are normal. Even Mayo Clinic did the exact same thing. All my personal reading and studying pointed toward some kind of fungal infection. I would ask the Doctors if i COULD have one of them, and they would say no, you can only get them if you have aids or an immune defficiency, and you don’t have Aids. Now I read that Cryptococcus Gatti does not require a person to have a bad immune system to get it!!
It was found in Canada in 1999! Well I’ll tell you that I am certain that it is was I have / have had! I even told the Doctors at Mayo Clinic that I thought that I had Cryptococcus! I swear that I think that they knew what I had but could not label it! Mt brother went with me to Mayo, him having very similar symptoms. They did there tests on us for [2] weeks! Then we had a final meeting with the main Dr., to put all the tests together and come up with a diagnosis. Well the two of us sat there together as he said that he all the tests weere negative and to go home and keep trying. We felt like we had been bent over and hammered! They sent all the paper work with there final diagnois, about [2] weeks later. It said diagnosis: *facial Pain – unknown origin.
Ive been trying to get well ever since. It is very hard and it feels like something took over my brain. The pain goes to my neck in the back of my head. I too have put together the symptoms with the chemtrails in the sky. When I see them, I hurt worse. Also when I see thes certain dark clouds, I hurt worse. It seems as if the spray the chemtrails into the dark clouds to get rid of them. I feel that they are mold clouds and that there could be a mold epidemic in the skies, and that a lot of people are suffering from excessive mold exposure. Think about it if this goes with your peticular idea’s or thoughts! God Bless All!!
What I have heard is 6,000 iu of Vitmain D, with infection Sodium ascorbate Vitamin C is what they use intervenously by alternative doctors to turn many diseases around because it is alkaline not acidic. Nutribiotic puts out non GMO vitamin C. I take 5-10 grams throughout the day when I get sick orally and it knocks it out pretty quickly. I take 4,000-6,000 iu vitamin D daily. A vegetarian diet, non sugar, junk food to help clean out the body so it can self heal. I pray you get well and find the healers to help you. Stay off MSG, sacharin type products they are brain poisons that create those type of symptoms.
I’m dumb founded! I have the exact same problems. Exactly! I’m now coughing up white stuff in the morning. After I eat I get a re-action to food within an hour. Doctors don’t know how to treat me. I have fought this problem for ten years and the last few years its really been bad. The head and neck pain are being treated seperately and I’ve ended up taking pain killers its so bad. The dizziness and aches go away for a short while until the pain killers wear off and then I have to take more pain killers. I’m starting mms to see if I can get control of this stuff. Oddly my six year old lab was taken to the vet for problems and they said she has some type fungi in her. Can dogs be put on mms???
Hi,
On March 16, 2010 I lost a very important person in my life my Grandfather, Jack. My gramps had been taking a medication called Remicaid before he contracted the C.Gatti, which lowered his immune system. My grandfather always worked with soil and in nature as he did work with wells and water/testing. My gramps nerves in his legs started to go and shortly after he started getting symptoms of vertigo. I didn’t suspect anything until after his death, but I started to look into chem trails because I think this might have been what caused his vertigo and nerve loss in his legs. 2 weeks before he was admitted to the hospital though he received the flu shot. He was allergic to the anti-fungal treatments and was treated with anti-biotics. About 1 week after he was admitted they removed his breathing tube and a day later put it back in. I think their judgement was wrong and could have re-contaminated him with the trach tube. In the end his kidney’s failed and he could no longer breathe on his own. About one week after his death on March 23rd after returning home from a long night at work and thinking about my Gramps all night and how much I missed him I sat down at my computer to sulk at 5:00 am and front page AOL news displayed an article reading “Cryptococcus Gatti Fungal Infection Spreading Through Oregon.” I was shocked, but I had to try to understand how my gramps could have contracted this rare pneumonia in CT. I don’t even think that anyone has reported any deaths in CT. In a few weeks I will have his toxicology report. He did used to work as a plumber and he might have been exposed to lead, but if his count of Aluminum and Barium levels are high then we are talking about toxic levels of some other type of substance. I am thinking about filming a documentary in honor of my Grandfather. I would like to interview other victims, survivors, doctor’s, microbiologists or other professionals that have information about treatment of C.Gatti or possible alternative medicine options. I can’t help thinking that alternative medical options might have save his life had I known a few weeks sooner.
TO ALL PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM C GATTI OR PNEUMONIA. THE DEATH RATE OF HOSPITALIZATION IS VERY HIGH DUE TO VENTILATOR ASSISTED PNEUMONIA. THE ONLY REMEDY THAT KILS BAD BACTERIA BUT LEAVES GOOD BACTERIA UNHARMED IS COLLODIAL SILVER. Purchase a nebulizer machine and inhale the steam of the collodial silver. The government doesn’t want people to know about collodial silver because antibiotics would go out of business and the market for prescription drugs would flop.
I wish I could have helped my grandfather, but I didn’t even know what C.Gatti was until I found an article about it 2 weeks after his death. He was on Remicaid a immunity lowering drug. If anyone else has experienced these problems or similar please contact me. I am writing a book and I need participants willing to volunteer for a brief interview.