Blastomyces fungus outbreak hits Michigan paper factory
Nearly 100 people have been infected and a dozen hospitalized by a rare fungus linked to a paper mill in Michigan.
It is feared that the fungus Blastomyces has arrived on damp and rotten wood at the Billerud paper mill in Escanaba, in the north of the state.
Experts told DailyMail.com that the size of the outbreak was “extraordinary” – and, if confirmed, would be the largest ever seen in the US.
The fungus normally causes about 6,700 cases and 60 deaths each year, estimates suggest. Outbreaks normally number less than ten cases.
But fungal infections are becoming more common, with health experts warning that they now pose the greatest threat to humanity.
Experts said today that the outbreak involving more than 90 people was extraordinary for its size, saying there were typically fewer than 10 cases
All of the patients, reportedly workers at the factory, had symptoms, some with “severe” signs of the disease. One has been in the hospital for weeks.
Blastomyces is a fungus that lurks in moist soil and leaf litter in the eastern half of the United States.
Humans can inhale its spores, which can infect the lungs and cause a ‘cold’ illness with symptoms such as cough, fever and chest pain.
In severe cases, the fungus spreads from the lungs to other organs, including the muscles, bones, and central nervous system. This can cause complications such as encephalitis or swelling of the brain and spinal cord.
The disease has a death rate of about one in 100 patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It is believed to be the largest outbreak to date, with the current record of an outbreak occurring in Wisconsin in 2010.
There were 55 cases, including 30 hospitalizations and two deaths. A source has never been identified, but researchers said it may have been linked to outdoor recreational activities.
Michigan has recorded only about 26 cases of the fungus per year for the past five years.
A source has also yet to be identified in the current outbreak, but it is likely linked to rotting wood in the factory.
There are no reports of fatalities or the outbreak involving people who do not work at the plant.
Gerald Kell, head of the United Steelworkers Local 21 union representing workers at the plant, told the Detroit free press: ‘I’ve been working at the paper factory for about 11 years and we’ve never seen anything like it.
He added: “Of course people are concerned. We’re not sure where the exposure is coming from. It’s not localized; we have cases throughout the factory. It’s a 2,200-acre facility.”
The outbreak started in early March when local health authorities said they had detected 15 cases, dated to late January and February.
But this number has now risen to a whopping 93 – with an investigation underway and medics ready to quickly test for the disease anyone who has fallen ill at the factory.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, told DailyMail.com, “Outbreaks of blastomycosis are uncommon and this outbreak of blastomycosis is extraordinary for its magnitude.
“It appears to be the largest recorded outbreak of blastomycosis in the US.”
When asked how many cases normally cause outbreaks, he said there were “usually 10 or fewer infected people.”
He added that it was unlikely there would be a wider spread of the fungus in the community as it is not spread through person-to-person contact and the mill – where the source of the outbreak is – is outside the city.
Testing by Public Health for Delta and Menominee Counties (PHDMC) has uncovered 19 confirmed cases – patients with symptoms where the fungus has also been seen under a microscope or grown in a lab.
There are also 74 probable cases, who have symptoms of the disease and have tested positive for antibodies that fight the infection.
Mr Kell revealed that ‘about a dozen’ people had been hospitalized, including one who had been on wards for weeks.
Blastomycosis (stock image of fungus blastomyces) can cause symptoms similar to a cold in the early stages, but the fungus can then spread to other parts of the body and cause more serious illness
Medications are available to treat the condition, including antifungal drugs — such as itraconazole — which work by disrupting the wall of fungal cells, causing cell leakage and eventually death.
However, those taking these drugs may need to continue taking them for a year to clear the infection.
The factory is run by Billerud AB, a US subsidiary of the Swedish pulp and paper manufacturer.
Vice President Brian Petersen said, “The health and safety of our Escanaba employees is our number one priority.
“While the source of the infection has not been determined, we continue to take this matter very seriously and are following the recommendations of health and government officials and are implementing numerous proactive steps to protect the health and safety of our employees, contractors and visitors. .’
Workers at the plant are now being asked to wear company-supplied N95 masks, the same ones used to protect people from Covid.
There is also a thorough cleaning of the factory ventilation systems, as advised by health officials, to prevent the spread of disease.
Last weekend, employees held a fundraiser for those who fell ill to help cover health care costs, which raised more than $30,000.