Airborne Fungus Expected to Spread in US

The widely known killer fungus, a potentially deadly airborne fungus, has infected nearly 50 people in the United States and currently has started in the Pacific Northwest and fear is that it has the ability to be able to spread across the country.

Health officials in both Canada and the United States are saying that while there is need for concern that is no need to panic or be alarmed at the present time. The fungus has been reported in Washington, Oregon, and California since 2006. Officials say that the airborne fungus originated in Canada.

The fugus species that is associated with the airborne infection has been known to cause pneumonia and meningitis. There have been three deaths contributed to the fungus. Doctors from both the Washington and Oregon State Departments of Health have gone on record and stated being infected with the strain of fungus is very rare and death is also very rare. The fungus strain is c. gattii or Cryptococcus gattii and that due to its uncommoness that there is no reason to be alarmed.

The Centers for Disease Control in Washington, D.C. is also keeping track of the airborne fungus and it was those officials who have stated that the number of infected people is over 100 though the state officials have said that the number was half of that.

C. gattii is a fungal strain that has subtropical origins but it was discovered on Vancouver Island back in 1999. Still officials are saying that it is very uncommon in the United States and that there is really no reason for concern.