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Deadly Fungus Spreading in U.S., Canada
Deadly Fungus Spreading in U.S., Canada
Friday, April 23, 2010 8:59 AM
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. Click here.
"Our findings suggest further expansion into neighboring regions is likely to occur, and we aim to increase disease awareness in the region."
The new strain appears to be unusually deadly, with a mortality rate of about 25 percent among the 21 U.S. cases analyzed, they said.
"From 1999 through 2003, the cases were largely restricted to Vancouver Island," the report reads.
"Between 2003 and 2006, the outbreak expanded into neighboring mainland British Columbia, and then into Washington and Oregon from 2005 to 2009. Based on this historical trajectory of expansion, the outbreak may continue to expand into the neighboring region of Northern California, and possibly further."
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 and warmer weather may be helping it spread, the researchers said.
© 2010 Reuters. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
Friday, April 23, 2010 8:59 AM
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. Click here.
"Our findings suggest further expansion into neighboring regions is likely to occur, and we aim to increase disease awareness in the region."
The new strain appears to be unusually deadly, with a mortality rate of about 25 percent among the 21 U.S. cases analyzed, they said.
"From 1999 through 2003, the cases were largely restricted to Vancouver Island," the report reads.
"Between 2003 and 2006, the outbreak expanded into neighboring mainland British Columbia, and then into Washington and Oregon from 2005 to 2009. Based on this historical trajectory of expansion, the outbreak may continue to expand into the neighboring region of Northern California, and possibly further."
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 and warmer weather may be helping it spread, the researchers said.
© 2010 Reuters. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
Yep. I am just a another "crackpot conspiracy theorist," so never take anything I say seriously. I am just a dumb ol' country hick, and there is no-one out there that has any intentions of surreptitiously harming America. We're too well loved internationally for that.
It's kind of ironic though. After researching "fiat" currency about 15 years ago and finding out that no civilization in recorded history ever survived intact for over 300 years after going off the gold standard, I made a prediction of what would happen to the American economy, and now everything I wrote about is happening exactly as history showed it would. The only difference is that I knew the process would be sped up due to the speed with which information travels. It is amazing how back then I was a crackpot conspiracy theorist too, but now I am getting quite a few letter and emails from people telling me "Well, I guess you did know what you were talking about," after the fact of course.
Do you honestly think anyone would ever announce they may have these plans, or even if they were stupid enough to do so that the spoon-fed talking heads would be allowed to make a guess or assumption to the fact?
And personally, I LOVE Vancouver! I had a girlfriend who lived in the first "house" down from the college on top of Burnaby Hill, and every time I went to visit, I found Vancouver to be the nicest metropolitan city I've ever visited anywhere. The people were great, of ALL the ethnic races, and the most open and friendly I've met.
And no. I don't think "Dr. Evil" is pulling the strings of the world...lol. Look at all the interconnected developments in just the past decade, and please give me a rational explanation as to what is happening throughout the world, and I will be ecstatic to find a logical reason not to assume that "something" is causing all of the evil we are seeing escalate beyond all expectations.
Vin
It's kind of ironic though. After researching "fiat" currency about 15 years ago and finding out that no civilization in recorded history ever survived intact for over 300 years after going off the gold standard, I made a prediction of what would happen to the American economy, and now everything I wrote about is happening exactly as history showed it would. The only difference is that I knew the process would be sped up due to the speed with which information travels. It is amazing how back then I was a crackpot conspiracy theorist too, but now I am getting quite a few letter and emails from people telling me "Well, I guess you did know what you were talking about," after the fact of course.
Do you honestly think anyone would ever announce they may have these plans, or even if they were stupid enough to do so that the spoon-fed talking heads would be allowed to make a guess or assumption to the fact?
And personally, I LOVE Vancouver! I had a girlfriend who lived in the first "house" down from the college on top of Burnaby Hill, and every time I went to visit, I found Vancouver to be the nicest metropolitan city I've ever visited anywhere. The people were great, of ALL the ethnic races, and the most open and friendly I've met.
And no. I don't think "Dr. Evil" is pulling the strings of the world...lol. Look at all the interconnected developments in just the past decade, and please give me a rational explanation as to what is happening throughout the world, and I will be ecstatic to find a logical reason not to assume that "something" is causing all of the evil we are seeing escalate beyond all expectations.
Vin
Things like superbugs and super fungus' are indeed scary. I don't think anyone would make fun of you for feeling that way. The thing to keep in mind is that to date it has only impacted a very small number of people. The media has a tendancy to sensationalize. Remember how much was made of swine flu? The next pandemic, etc. etc. And although it did some damage and did meet the criteria for pandemic, it wasn't nearly the catastrophe the media made it out to be. Perhaps because they were on top of it or perhaps because it just didn't evolve as predicted. Still, it would be nice to hear them come up with a vaccine or treatment for this. It does seem that everyday something new crops up doesn't it.
Yes I agree with you specialmom, just the thought of a fungus with no cure puts goose bumps up and down my spine! Can we just imagine how long it would take this to go around the world with the air travel and all? I have had nightmares since I heard about this on the news a couple weeks ago.
Back to the topic at hand . . . make fun of me if you will . . . but super bugs and super fungus scares me. I can handle a lot of things but a super fungus??? No. Yuck and double yuck. We all take medicine for granted and that when we contract something that there will be a potion or pill to help us. But the truth is that the CDC is finding more and more things that they can't keep up with. I saw jokes about it . . . but I really would rather not contract a super fungus. A conspiracy theory that the Chinese planted this? Well, that sounds like hog wash, sorry. Do you think that Dr. Evil has the formula to counteract the fungus in his lab back in Shanghai ?. . .
I am a Canadian who spent most of my life in Vancouver, although I now live in Calgary, Alberta. Yes, we do have a very large Chinese population there who I have to say are a wonderful asset to the city. Vancouver is a very multicultural city, and most Vancouverites are very proud of that fact. We also have a very large East Indian and Pakistani population, along with Europeans from many different countries. The majority of my family still lives in Vancouver, so I am there several times a year and have never been overly concerned about this fungus, although I know that it does exist.
I guess I just feel that if the Chinese were really trying to kill off a large population of the US population, they could probably find a faster and easier way to do it. I am not discounting what you are saying, but like Mikesimon, can't seem to find anything to really support this theory. However, I know anything is certainly possible. I do believe however that sometimes a duck is just a duck. I have been hearing conspiracy theories surrounding everything from the swine flu (both the virus and the vaccine) to SARS, and now this fungus. So far, none have proved to be well founded, at least in my mind. I will however check out the references you provided, and again, I am not discounting your theory nor mocking you.
I guess I just feel that if the Chinese were really trying to kill off a large population of the US population, they could probably find a faster and easier way to do it. I am not discounting what you are saying, but like Mikesimon, can't seem to find anything to really support this theory. However, I know anything is certainly possible. I do believe however that sometimes a duck is just a duck. I have been hearing conspiracy theories surrounding everything from the swine flu (both the virus and the vaccine) to SARS, and now this fungus. So far, none have proved to be well founded, at least in my mind. I will however check out the references you provided, and again, I am not discounting your theory nor mocking you.
I did Google it and I found nothing that supported your statement. I usually try to find some support or reference before I ask.
Apparently you haven't been able to find anything either.
And unfortunately, no - that really didn't clear anything up.
Mike
Apparently you haven't been able to find anything either.
And unfortunately, no - that really didn't clear anything up.
Mike
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