Church Volunteers Stricken With Lung Ailment

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Church Volunteers Stricken With Lung Ailment

By RONI CARYN RABIN

Published: December 22, 2008

New York Times - United States

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/health/22lung.html?_r=1 & ref=health

Twenty Americans who traveled to El Salvador earlier this year to

rebuild a church returned with serious cases of histoplasmosis, a

lung disease caused by an airborne fungus, the federal Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention has reported.

More than half of the 33 church volunteers from Pennsylvania and

Virginia got sick, including six who had to be hospitalized,

according to the current issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly

Report. The volunteers traveled in separate groups but worked at the

same church last January and February.

" They were a healthy group, so this was a bit surprising, " said Dr.

Kurkjian, an epidemic intelligence services officer with the

Virginia Department of Health who wrote the report. " That suggests

there was a high level of exposure. "

The fungus that causes histoplasmosis grows in soil contaminated

with bird or bat droppings. The spores become airborne when the soil

is disturbed.

The volunteers may have kicked up the spores as they cleaned indoor

and outdoor renovation sites, built rooms, installed plumbing and

electricity and excavated a septic tank.

" People who are working in these types of environments should wear

personal protective equipment like respirators and disposable

booties over their shoes, " Dr. Kurkjian said, adding they may want

to spray soil gently with water to reduce dust if they're doing any

digging.

Histoplasmosis is endemic in the Midwestern United States, Mexico,

Central and South America, parts of eastern and southern Europe,

parts of Africa, and in eastern Asia and Australia.