Dozens of Michigan Paper Mill Workers Infected with Rare Fungal Disease

Nearly 100 workers at a paper mill in Michigan have likely been infected with blastomycosis, a rare fungal disease caused by fungi that live in soil and decaying wood. The source of the outbreak is unclear, but public health officials have reported 19 confirmed cases and 74 probable cases linked to the mill. Symptoms are typically respiratory and include fever, cough, muscle aches, and fatigue. The infection is treatable with antifungals, but people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of severe blastomycosis.