video State investigates death from rare form of meningitis

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State investigates death from rare form of meningitis

06:17 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 6, 2007

By ROB PIERCY / KING 5 News

KING5.com - Seattle,WA

http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_060607WABfungusinfectionKS.20e

81e00.html

The family of a Bellingham man who died from the infection says he

was misdiagnosed. BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Health officials are

investigating Washington's first known death from a rare type of

meningitis.

The victim, a Bellingham man, died May 6 after a series of doctors

misdiagnosed his condition.

He was infected with a rare fungus called cryptococcus gattii.

Usually found in warmer climates, the disease is now showing up in

the northwest.

" We think there has been a shift in the ecology of the fungus; it

may be related to climate change, " said Greg Stern, a public health

officer.

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Now the family of the Bellingham man is speaking out, warning others

of the disease.

" I think we could prevent it if we caught it early, " said his niece,

Wen.

When the victim began to feel sick in early April, he thought maybe

he had a cold and went to the doctor.

" The doctor thought that he had just an allergy 'cause it's spring

time, " Wen said.

She says after that diagnosis, her uncle decided to travel to Hong

Kong to visit family.

There he grew even more ill. Doctors thought he might have SARS.

" He barely can walk and his eyes are beginning to get blurry, " Wen

said.

When he returned to the states two weeks later, family rushed him

straight to 's Hospital in Edmonds. After performing a spinal

tap, doctors they discovered he had fungal meningitis.

" I was at his bed side all this time to stay with him and talk to

him and comfort him, " Wen said.

The next two weeks his condition worsened, until he died.

People become infected by inhaling spores.

Stern says while it is fatal in about 12 percent of cases, the

infection is so rare that people shouldn't worry.

" There may even be more reports of trees falling on people in storms

than there are of fungus infecting people by taking a walk in the

woods,' " he said.