"Rising Incidence of Deadly Fungus with 20% Kill Rate in Unexpected US Locations"

A study suggests that blastomycosis, a deadly fungus with a 20% kill rate, may be more common in the US than previously thought, with Vermont showing a higher rate than four of the five states where it is tracked. The disease, caused by breathing in spores from rotten wood or leaf litter, can lead to deadly pneumonia and inflammation. The findings challenge assumptions about the disease's prevalence and call for increased awareness among clinicians. Last year, a paper mill outbreak in Michigan sickened over a hundred people, and a woman in Wisconsin died from the infection after being initially misdiagnosed.