DYK? A Mutated Fungus

Last Friday, as I was perusing the news online, I came across this article on FoxNews.com. Being an allergy sufferer and someone who occasionally experiences bronchial congestion after the flu or a particularly bad cold, I tend to notice information about airborne “things.” This particular “thing” is Cryptococcus gattii, a type of “encapsulated yeast found primarily in tropical and subtropical climates” (according to Wikipedia). Generally only a problem for immune compromised individuals, the fungus has mutated and is now a threat to healthy individuals as well. It has also begun to spread from its initial discovery point on Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the northwestern United States. Infection can only occur from inhaling fungus spores, so the illness is not transmissible person to person (or animal to person). Symptoms of cryptococcal infection range from a nagging cough to sharp chest pain to delerium-producing fever (for a list, click here). It is considered a rare illness. However, this new strain is particularly virulent, exhibiting a mortality rate of approximately 25%. If you would like to hear more about the spread of Cryptococcus gattii, listen to this podcast from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).