Killer fungus crosses strait

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Killer fungus crosses strait

BCLocalNews - ,BC,Canada*

By Jeff Nagel - BC Local News - February 19, 2008

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/15782782.html

Map shows cryptococcal disease infections since 1999 in humans (red

dots), animals (blue squares) and marine mammals (blue whales).

B.C. Centre for Disease Control

A deadly tropical fungus that first colonized eastern Vancouver

Island is now believed to have spread to the Lower Mainland.

Researchers say the number of cases of infected people and animals

in Greater Vancouver and the lower Fraser Valley suggests

cryptococcus gattii has crossed Georgia Strait.

Since 1999 a total of 217 B.C. residents have been infected with

cryptococcal disease, a lung infection that can result when people

or animals breathe in airborne spores released by the fungus.

Eight people have died.

" There are an increasing number of people who live on the mainland

who are getting sick, " said Dr. Eleni Galanis, an epidemiologist

with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Until recently, researchers thought those people encountered the

fungus while travelling on Vancouver Island or in the tropics, not

close to home.

But six people who hadn't travelled anywhere the fungus is found

were infected between 2004 and 2006 – one from the Sunshine Coast,

two from Greater Vancouver and three from the Fraser Valley.

" We are certain they were exposed on the mainland, " Dr. Galanis said.

Soil, air and tree sample tests have so far found the fungus is

mainly entrenched around Courtenay, Parksville, Duncan, parts of

and Saltspring Island.

Most Lower Mainland samples taken have come back negative,

but " transient " positive tests show the fungus was at least

temporarily present at sites in northern Langley and southern

Chilliwack.

It's not clear why the fungus has been detected only very rarely and

sporadically in the Lower Mainland.

" It may only temporarily come to the mainland and doesn't take

hold, " Galanis said. " Or it's present here only in patches or low

concentrations that we haven't really been able to find easily. "

She said 34 B.C. residents were infected in 2007 – the most in any

year to date.

She still counts the illness as very rare, but calls it " quite

serious " and says doctors and the public should be aware of it.

For some infected people there are no symptoms and the disease might

only be detected via a routine chest X-ray.

Others can become very sick, suffering from pneumonia or meningitis.

Most victims complain of headaches, fevers, night sweats and

coughing.

It's readily treated through several months of anti-fungal

medication, Galanis said.

People in affected areas shouldn't change their habits or make

attempts to avoid the fungus, she said.

" We encourage people to continue to enjoy the outdoors, " she

said. " The advantages of that vastly outweigh the risks of getting

this infection. "

Cryptococcus gattii can also infect dogs, cats, livestock and marine

mammals.

Veterinarians are asked to watch for cases in animals that could be

a prelude to human infections.

The fungus may have crossed over from Vancouver Island by way of

someone's boots or vehicle tires.

Galanis said the fungus has recently spread south into Washington

State but added it is not likely to spread much farther in B.C.

because it requires a very mild but dry coastal climate.

It's mainly found in South America, Africa and southeast Asia. B.C.

is the first temperate area it has colonized.