Fungal Outbreak at Michigan Paper Mill Infects Dozens of Workers
Health officials in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are investigating a fungal outbreak linked to an Escanaba paper mill that has sickened dozens of people. The public health agency has confirmed 19 cases of blastomycosis, a fungal infection caused by Blastomyces, and identified 74 other probable cases. The fungus is primarily found in the Midwest, south-central and southeastern United States, especially in areas surrounding the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River. The infection is not spread from person to person or between animals and people.