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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.
I originally found this in an abstract of a CDC article by typing Cryptococcus gattii + China into their search function. I would expect the Brookings Institute to have further information as well. Also, you can check the National Geographic site and search under "Chines War Mushrooms." I can't find the exact site I found last night, and no...this fungi was not kept on Vancouver Island since 1999. It was modified to increase the mortality rate, and the engineered form was found in Vancouver (or Hongcouver as its known locally) was where it entered the U.S. You need to keep in mind, that any mainstream media source is and has been totally controlled by our government shortly after WWII.
A further consideration is that the Chinese culture has existed for over NINE THOUSAND YEARS, whereas America has only been around a bit over 200 years. The Chinese do not think in terms of "the next election" or "the next decade" or even the "next century." Mao Tse Tung's 5000 year plan, which the leaders of China follow to this day, is world domination without military bloodshed.
You should read it, sometime. It is a fascinating and all too logical "plan," that not only should work, but is working.
Also I did add that it was only "my" opinion, based on research I had done into the World Health Organizations Environmental Sustainability Study (which was basically "buried" in 1996) wherein the "experts' said that the planetary population had to be brought down to under 5 billion people, or the earth itself would die. I didn't mean to say "This is what is true," just presented a logical scenario based on past events and current events.
I hope that clears things up a bit.
Vin
A further consideration is that the Chinese culture has existed for over NINE THOUSAND YEARS, whereas America has only been around a bit over 200 years. The Chinese do not think in terms of "the next election" or "the next decade" or even the "next century." Mao Tse Tung's 5000 year plan, which the leaders of China follow to this day, is world domination without military bloodshed.
You should read it, sometime. It is a fascinating and all too logical "plan," that not only should work, but is working.
Also I did add that it was only "my" opinion, based on research I had done into the World Health Organizations Environmental Sustainability Study (which was basically "buried" in 1996) wherein the "experts' said that the planetary population had to be brought down to under 5 billion people, or the earth itself would die. I didn't mean to say "This is what is true," just presented a logical scenario based on past events and current events.
I hope that clears things up a bit.
Vin
I just googled it and you get mixed reviews about it, some playing it down others saying its more serious , havent heard much on the news unless we have missed it because of the Oil spill and Immigration in AZ .
I didnt mean it seriously you mistook what I meant, ,I have not heard about it and I do realise sometimes people say things when they are scared ...
You wrote:
"What this article did not mention was that they have tracked the vectors back to mainland China (the world's leading chemical/biological warfare specialists) and that this fungus is "more than likely" an "engineered" fungus that dramatically increases it's mortality rate."
Could you provide a site supporting this China connection and the fact that it is "engineered"?
Mike
"What this article did not mention was that they have tracked the vectors back to mainland China (the world's leading chemical/biological warfare specialists) and that this fungus is "more than likely" an "engineered" fungus that dramatically increases it's mortality rate."
Could you provide a site supporting this China connection and the fact that it is "engineered"?
Mike
I am a bit confused here. You are saying the Chinese planted this fungus in 1993 on Vancouver Island (in Canada) in the hopes of killing off US citizens 17 years later, knowing the US would be in debt to them? I am not mocking you here, just trying to understand how this could be. Or am I missing something?
This is a very very scary scenario indeed but did not attach it in my mind to the bonds China has. I heard (dont remember where) that China is selling those off here and there, do you know anything about that?
I am not surprised by this and we should expect more of the same. Times are getting very scary indeed. The scenario you present makes too much sense to me.
I have not read your profile so what do you mean when you say your body is shutting down? What is your matter if you dont mind me asking?
I am not surprised by this and we should expect more of the same. Times are getting very scary indeed. The scenario you present makes too much sense to me.
I have not read your profile so what do you mean when you say your body is shutting down? What is your matter if you dont mind me asking?
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