WE"RE GOING TO DIE!!!!111!!!ELEVENTY!!!!!

[sumpnz]

If only we'd listened to Algore none of this would have happened.   

Deadly Airborne Fungus Spreading in Northwest
Friday, April 23, 2010 


WASHINGTON —  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.

"Our findings suggest further expansion into neighboring regions is likely to occur and 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 climate change may be helping it spread, the researchers said.

 

[Mabs2]

Whoops.

[kgbsquirrel]

Hmm, super high mortality rate and it targets healthy people, where have I heard those lines again? Also, how is this a major problem if there were precisely 21 analyzed cases from 1999 to 2006. You had 35 people contract and die from naturally occurring anthrax in that same time period and ~630 people killed by lightning.

ETA: And of those 21 analyzed cases only five died. So you're looking at a mortality rate of around 0.7 people a year. Compare that to the average of 42,000 deaths per year due to automobile crashes.

[sumpnz]

Bad squirrel, bad!  How dare you try to attach logic to an EPIDEMIC.  This is too good of a crises to waste.  Off to re-education sunshine and fun camp for you!

[Mabs2]

Off to re-education sunshine and fun camp for you!

Dude, I wanna go.

[just Warren]

But if we can save just 0.7 person the loss of freedom will be worth it.

[RocketMan]

The low infection rate explains the lack of zombies in Oregon.

[BMacklem]

Anyone see the movie "The Happening"?
O M G IT'S COMING TRUE!!!!!
And if the rest of M Night Shamalayns books/movies come true next, I want Unbreakable to be next.

[coppertales]

First it was Mexico with their pig flu.  Now it is Canada with their fungus.  Tell me why, again, why we want to combine countries?  chris3

[Tallpine]

I always knew that wet and rainy country couldn't be healthy 

[Nick1911]

kgb perfectly summed up my viewpoint on the topic.

Oh, and we are all going to die.  FYI.

[Fjolnirsson]

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.

Well, at least there's an upside to it. I wonder if someone will find a way to market it?

[S. Williamson]

kgb perfectly summed up my viewpoint on the topic.

Oh, and we are all going to die.  FYI.

Well, that's a load off my mind.    Always wanted to know how it was going to happen.

Now if I can just figure out the "when," I'll be golden. 

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Now if I can just figure out the "when," I'll be golden. 

Here you go:
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/STATS/table4c6.html

[erictank]

Anyone see the movie "The Happening"?
O M G IT'S COMING TRUE!!!!!
And if the rest of M Night Shamalayns books/movies come true next, I want Unbreakable to be next.

+1.  Heck, + FIFTY. 

[kgbsquirrel]

NPR News

So the new numbers...

2004-2010:

270 infections.

40 deaths.

So 5.7 deaths per year. This little bug just barely squeeked past naturally occurring anthrax for yearly mortality average (Anthrax = 5 a year). Still doesn't get anywhere near lightning's 90 a year though.

Public health officials aren't calling it a public health emergency. The fungus can't be spread from person to person, and there doesn't seem to be any prospect of an explosive epidemic. But they do want doctors to be on the lookout for cases, because early diagnosis and proper treatment is vital to prevent deaths.

It's nice to see some sensible reporting of this thing rather than the blatant fear mongering we had earlier with man-bird-pig.