Deadly New Fungus Emerging in Oregon Expected to Spread

[lynnf]

BOLO, and add this to the invasive species list!


http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100422/sc_livescience/deadlynewfungusemerginginoregonexpectedtospread;_y lt=AiExRxF6LkPR3mInPHH4Ddys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFlaGlsY jdxBHBvcwMxMTUEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9zY2llbmNlBHNsawN kZWFkbHluZXdmdW4-


A deadly, airborne new strain of fungus has emerged in Oregon. It has killed nearly one out of four known affected people so far and might also attack animals ranging from dogs to dolphins. And it is likely to spread, researchers now warn.

...

Symptoms can appear two or more months after exposure. Most people never develop symptoms, but those infected may have a cough lasting weeks, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, headache related to meningitis, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss. In animals the symptoms are a runny nose, breathing problems, nervous system problems and raised bumps under the skin.

[rancher89]

Apparently only a few people have actually died.

BTW, sort of related, I had Valley Fever when I lived in Phoenix years ago, cause: hanta virus--- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus
source: desert rodents that migrated into Phoenix during a tough summer

I nearly died and recently had an unexplainable health issue that may have had it's roots in that long ago illness. We still don't know.

Fungus can be a serious issue as well.

[MelissaWV]

I blame Old Ducker's mad scientist laboratory.

[Bruno]

Apparently only a few people have actually died.

BTW, sort of related, I had Valley Fever when I lived in Phoenix years ago, cause: hanta virus--- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus
source: desert rodents that migrated into Phoenix during a tough summer

I nearly died and recently had an unexplainable health issue that may have had it's roots in that long ago illness. We still don't know.

Fungus can be a serious issue as well.


I remember hearing about the Valley Fever when I lived down there in '96, but at the time I don't recall them knowing what it was. Interesting. So sorry to hear you had to go through that and nearly died from it!

[rancher89]

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! :D

OD + science lab = be very afraid!:D

[FrankRep]

I think Mother Nature is pissed off.

[tmosley]

Uh oh.

http://www.keiththompsonart.com/pages/zombie.html

[catdd]

Will this be the new H1N1

[rancher89]

I doubt they can create a vaccination protocol for a fungus infection.....the cure could be worse than the desease.

OMG :eek: :D :confused:

[MelissaWV]

It's like that horrible movie, The Happening.


No, really, it may be the worst movie ever made.

[rancher89]

Fifth Element

LOL

[MelissaWV]

Fifth Element

LOL

Are you even REMOTELY implying that the Fifth Element was a worse movie than The Happening?

The Happening... a movie about plants getting mad and spritzing the air with spores that make you kill yourself? Then, towards the end of the movie, the plants just... stop? But then they start elsewhere? And nothing is explained? And no one can account for why people always look for the most inefficient and idiotic ways to kill themselves? And no one puts on a rescue breather or gas mask or SCUBA gear?

[Bruno]

Are you even REMOTELY implying that the Fifth Element was a worse movie than The Happening?

The Happening... a movie about plants getting mad and spritzing the air with spores that make you kill yourself? Then, towards the end of the movie, the plants just... stop? But then they start elsewhere? And nothing is explained? And no one can account for why people always look for the most inefficient and idiotic ways to kill themselves? And no one puts on a rescue breather or gas mask or SCUBA gear?

Wow. Glad I passed on that movie! :D

[MelissaWV]

Wow. Glad I passed on that movie! :D

None shall be saved.

YouTube - RiffTrax - The Happening sample (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8PxA6IVdYo)

[tmosley]

The Fifth Element is one of the top ten Sci-Fi movies of all time, in my opinion.

Never saw The Happening, but when I read what the plot was, I'm glad I didn't. WORST. PLOT. EVER.

[MelissaWV]

The Fifth Element is one of the top ten Sci-Fi movies of all time, in my opinion.

Never saw The Happening, but when I read what the plot was, I'm glad I didn't. WORST. PLOT. EVER.

I left a few things out. There's a delightful scene where people gather around to watch a video (I guess a YouTube?) of some guy suiciding by going into a lion's pen and taunting it, but it only rips his arm off, so he keeps having to bait the lion.

There's also lying in front of a self-propelled lawnmower and letting it run over you.

Lastly, Marky Mark is the scientist.

[Icymudpuppy]

The symptoms sound just like Histoplasmosis. It is a common fungus found in large piles of droppings from bats and birds. It often affects spelunkers (cave explorers) and people in wildlife management fields like myself. The symptoms are mild, and only life threatening if you have a pre-existing lung condition, or a compromised immune system.

[Working Poor]

Every one needs to go on the candida diet avoid all sweeteners and eat to alkalize the body.

Some natural fungicides:

Tea tree oil
Pao D' Arco
Capricic Acid

[tmosley]

The symptoms sound just like Histoplasmosis. It is a common fungus found in large piles of droppings from bats and birds. It often affects spelunkers (cave explorers) and people in wildlife management fields like myself. The symptoms are mild, and only life threatening if you have a pre-existing lung condition, or a compromised immune system.

The article said that it was affecting healthy individuals as well, and killing them 25% of the time.

[Icymudpuppy]

The article said that it was affecting healthy individuals as well, and killing them 25% of the time.

That's what they said about H1N1 too.

Find out later that the so called healthy individuals probably were chain smokers in this case, I'd bet.

[Acala]

Apparently only a few people have actually died.

BTW, sort of related, I had Valley Fever when I lived in Phoenix years ago, cause: hanta virus--- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus
source: desert rodents that migrated into Phoenix during a tough summer

I nearly died and recently had an unexplainable health issue that may have had it's roots in that long ago illness. We still don't know.

Fungus can be a serious issue as well.


Valley Fever (coccidiomycosis) is not caused by the hanta virus. It is caused by inhalation of a fungus that lives in the soil. Most people who live in the desert areas of Arizona get it eventually. For most, it is insignificant. For others, it can be bad - even fatal. It can cause lesions on the lungs like TB.

[Slutter McGee]

The article said that it was affecting healthy individuals as well, and killing them 25% of the time.

It has killed five people in the last decade. Run for the Hills. Grab your guns. This is the Big One.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

[tmosley]

It has killed five people in the last decade. Run for the Hills. Grab your guns. This is the Big One.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

And where did you get that information from? It's not in the article.

Just making shit up about diseases is dangerous, you know.

[Slutter McGee]

And where did you get that information from? It's not in the article.

Just making shit up about diseases is dangerous, you know.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63L66H20100422


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


Boy...this is spreading fast. And I am sorry....has killed five people in the united states. Maybe it has killed as many as ten in Canada. Hopefully in 2097 when it reaches Amarillo....my children will be prepared for the ghastly death toll.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

[dannno]

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=356231

[tmosley]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63L66H20100422




Boy...this is spreading fast. And I am sorry....has killed five people in the united states. Maybe it has killed as many as ten in Canada. Hopefully in 2097 when it reaches Amarillo....my children will be prepared for the ghastly death toll.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

Next time, post your story before breaking out the sarcasm.

When I hear about a new strain of fungus that is capable of infecting healthy adults, my ears prick up. This is different from H1N1, which I knew from the start was BS, as flu either spreads fast, or it is highly deadly, it's never both. Both variables depend on the ability of the virus to get into the lungs. The deeper it goes, the more deadly it is, but the less likely it is to spread. Comparisons to earlier flu pandemics are worthless as well, because most flu deaths are caused by pneumonia, which we are capable of fighting.

Fungus is a different matter. It is very tough and very expensive to treat such infections, which are very rare in humans. This could be like Ebola, save that unlike Ebola, it has a long incubation time. If it develops the ability to transmit itself human to human, or even human to tree, we are in big trouble. This would be very expensive to deal with. When we are on the verge of economic collapse, we can't afford to deal with a new plague as well.

[specsaregood]

There's also lying in front of a self-propelled lawnmower and letting it run over you.

Come on, that was the single best part of the movie.



Lastly, Marky Mark is the scientist.
However, that alone should settle the debate over whether it is in fact the worst movie ever made.

[idirtify]

That's what they said about H1N1 too.

Find out later that the so called healthy individuals probably were chain smokers in this case, I'd bet.

Here we are seeing the effect of the gov crying “wolf” so many times. It’s difficult to know what to believe. The H1N1 fiasco was the final call. Now they have no credibility left and if there’s a TRUE serious infectious epidemic, warnings won’t work.

[tangent4ronpaul]

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

The original article also said that it got considerably more deadly as it moved into Oregon and Washington. Probably the most telling word in your quite is analyzed. That doesn't mean that's all the cases there were.



Fungus is a different matter. It is very tough and very expensive to treat such infections, which are very rare in humans. This could be like Ebola, save that unlike Ebola, it has a long incubation time. If it develops the ability to transmit itself human to human, or even human to tree, we are in big trouble. This would be very expensive to deal with. When we are on the verge of economic collapse, we can't afford to deal with a new plague as well.

Ebola did come to mind. There are periodic outbreaks when companies go into rain forests and start clear cutting in Africa. I seem to recall that that part of the country has a bit of a logging industry... Also, consider that as it lives in bark, what effect such a tree meeting a sawmill would have on spore release.

It may not have been much of a problem before, but it's getting more lethal and like Ebola, a disaster waiting to happen.

-t

[erowe1]

This sounds like a problem only Obama can solve!

[Working Poor]

this sounds like a problem only obama can solve!

lol:D

[osan]

This sounds like a problem only Obama can solve!

Quick! Raise taxes!

[tangent4ronpaul]

This sounds like a problem only Obama can solve!

Maybe he'll fly Air Force 1 out there for a high level conference with the trees... :D

-t

[MelissaWV]

If the Government "solves" this as well as they've "solved" all the other problems, I may toss myself in front of a lawnmower, or at the very least stab myself melodramatically in the honeymoon suite.

/emo break:

YouTube - Princess Bride - Perfect Breasts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XegOczOvfXY)

/end emo break

[Fox McCloud]

something to keep an eye on, for sure, fungi are nasty things...

[tangent4ronpaul]

If the Government "solves" this as well as they've "solved" all the other problems, I may toss myself in front of a lawnmower,,,

That's an excellent point. Considering their track record, I think we should re-consider how the government is run. I'd propose citizens send in proposals for what they should do, then get 435 monkeys, each with a pair of dice... That way they should get it right about half the time. Massive improvement, that, and completely removes lobbyists from the loop!

-t

[Fox McCloud]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126198896&sc=nl&cc=nh-20100423

this covers the details a bit better, though the article has a "its our fault because of climate change" bent to it.

it sounds like the majority of people who get it have suppressed immune systems; not all, for sure, but the bulk of them.

[Old Ducker]

I blame Old Ducker's mad scientist laboratory.

Weird that I've never heard of it.

This makes no sense:


It has killed nearly one out of four known affected people so far...Most people never develop symptoms.

[rancher89]

Are you even REMOTELY implying that the Fifth Element was a worse movie than The Happening?

The Happening... a movie about plants getting mad and spritzing the air with spores that make you kill yourself? Then, towards the end of the movie, the plants just... stop? But then they start elsewhere? And nothing is explained? And no one can account for why people always look for the most inefficient and idiotic ways to kill themselves? And no one puts on a rescue breather or gas mask or SCUBA gear?

No dear, just tweaked on your avatar, I love 5th Element, very campy IMHO...grins

[tmosley]

If we were free to develop drugs in this country, my company could have an antidote made up in about 6 months--after we receive a sample of the fungi, or a related species.

[rancher89]

Valley Fever (coccidiomycosis) is not caused by the hanta virus. It is caused by inhalation of a fungus that lives in the soil. Most people who live in the desert areas of Arizona get it eventually. For most, it is insignificant. For others, it can be bad - even fatal. It can cause lesions on the lungs like TB.

Ok, I stand corrected. I have the lesions. Could have sworn they were blaming the rodents, maybe they were a vector? and my mind just went to hantavirus on auto pilot?

[KramerDSP]

Are you even REMOTELY implying that the Fifth Element was a worse movie than The Happening?

The Happening... a movie about plants getting mad and spritzing the air with spores that make you kill yourself? Then, towards the end of the movie, the plants just... stop? But then they start elsewhere? And nothing is explained? And no one can account for why people always look for the most inefficient and idiotic ways to kill themselves? And no one puts on a rescue breather or gas mask or SCUBA gear?

100% agree. Worst movie ever made. It's either that or "Who's My Caddy?" (Black Caddyshack)

[Fox McCloud]

If we were free to develop drugs in this country, my company could have an antidote made up in about 6 months--after we receive a sample of the fungi, or a related species.

technically, you could do it anyway =p

[tmosley]

technically, you could do it anyway =p

Nope. We don't have as much manpower as we need. We only have one scientist on the staff that knows how to do it. If we were able to make and sell the drugs without FDA approval, we would have twenty, and we would have cured most or all communicable diseases years ago.

As it is, it looks like we are finally going to get a big payday for our antimicrobial plastics, so hopefully we can afford the manpower to make the drugs, and the lawyers to push it through the FDA. Maybe we'll be able to release our cure for AIDS before the end of this decade. MAYBE.

[pcosmar]

Warning.
There's a fungus among us.
;)

[MelissaWV]

http://cdn1.gamepro.com/blogfaction/images/mushroom.jpg

[Fox McCloud]

Nope. We don't have as much manpower as we need. We only have one scientist on the staff that knows how to do it. If we were able to make and sell the drugs without FDA approval, we would have twenty, and we would have cured most or all communicable diseases years ago.

As it is, it looks like we are finally going to get a big payday for our antimicrobial plastics, so hopefully we can afford the manpower to make the drugs, and the lawyers to push it through the FDA. Maybe we'll be able to release our cure for AIDS before the end of this decade. MAYBE.

didn't realize you were that lacking in manpower; I assumed (incorrectly) it was a matter of "covering our own behinds".

[JeNNiF00F00]

Warning.
There's a fungus among us.
;)

Damn!! I was thinking the same thing! :D

[Live_Free_Or_Die]

It has killed five people in the last decade. Run for the Hills. Grab your guns. This is the Big One.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

+1 ;)

[idirtify]

Nope. We don't have as much manpower as we need. We only have one scientist on the staff that knows how to do it. If we were able to make and sell the drugs without FDA approval, we would have twenty, and we would have cured most or all communicable diseases years ago.

As it is, it looks like we are finally going to get a big payday for our antimicrobial plastics, so hopefully we can afford the manpower to make the drugs, and the lawyers to push it through the FDA. Maybe we'll be able to release our cure for AIDS before the end of this decade. MAYBE.

So you are saying that your biggest obstacle to drug development is government regulation, right?

[Fox McCloud]

So you are saying that your biggest obstacle to drug development is government regulation, right?

yes, that's what he's saying--more specifically the FDA.