All articles tagged with #fungal outbreak
US and Mexican authorities are urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency over a fungal outbreak linked to cosmetic operations in Mexico. Two people who got surgeries involving epidural anaesthesia have died of meningitis. Almost 400 people in the US and Mexico are being monitored. Two cosmetic clinics in the Mexican city of Matamoros have been shut.
The US and Mexico have requested the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern over a deadly fungal outbreak that has affected patients from multiple countries and 24 US states. The CDC is monitoring the condition of 195 people across the US who got surgeries involving epidural anesthesia at two facilities in Mexico. Fourteen are "suspected" and 11 are "probable" cases of fungal meningitis. Two of these patients have died. Recent test results from authorities in Mexico have sparked concern of a repeat from another deadly outbreak that was linked to surgeries elsewhere in Mexico earlier this year.
Five more cases of blastomycosis, a rare fungal disease, have been detected in Michigan, bringing the total number of cases to 109. The outbreak has been linked to a paper mill in Escanaba, Upper Peninsula, and is one of the largest fungal clusters in American history. Thirteen of the patients have been hospitalized and one person has died. Health officials fear even more cases will be detected over the coming weeks because it can take months for patients to develop symptoms. The source of the outbreak is yet to be identified, but the mill has been closed for deep cleaning.
The source of the deadly fungal outbreak at a Michigan paper mill may be impossible to determine, according to the head of the union local. The fungus, blastomycosis, is endemic to the area, making it difficult to pinpoint the source. At least one person has died and nearly 100 others have been sickened. Federal investigators are preparing to step up their probe into this unprecedented number of typically rare and potentially deadly fungal infections. The CDC reported last month on an outbreak in a handful of Wisconsin neighborhoods that sickened four residents, one of whom died, and also sickened several pets.
One person has died and nearly 100 people have been infected in a fungal outbreak at a Michigan paper mill. The outbreak was caused by a fungus called blastomycosis, which spreads through the inhalation of spores. The paper mill has temporarily suspended operations for up to three weeks for the safety of its employees and contractors. The fungus is typically found in the areas surrounding the Great Lakes, as well as the Ohio, Mississippi and Saint Lawrence rivers.
A contracted employee to a paper mill in Michigan has died from blastomycosis, a rare fungal infection that has affected nearly 100 employees at the mill. The mill will temporarily close for up to three weeks for deep cleaning and inspection of incoming materials. Blastomycosis is caused by infection from a fungus found in soil and decaying wood that exists in the eastern U.S. and parts of Canada. The outbreak is considered highly unusual, as blastomycosis is not typically spread from person to person, indicating scores of people were exposed to the same spore-containing materials.
A contract worker at the Billerud Paper Mill in Escanaba, Michigan, has died from an ongoing fungal outbreak that may have infected nearly 100 employees with blastomycosis. The mill produces paper for magazines, catalogs, books and other products. As of April 14, there were 21 confirmed cases and 76 probable cases among the mill’s employees, and 12 people were hospitalized. The mill has temporarily shut down for deep cleaning, and local and national health agencies are investigating the outbreak. Blastomycosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Blastomyces, which is found in moist soil and decomposing wood and leaves.
A rare fungal infection outbreak linked to the Billerud Paper Mill in Escanaba, Michigan, has left one person dead and at least 12 hospitalized. The fungus, blastomycosis, is not infectious person-to-person, but people who inhale spores can get infected. The mill will be temporarily closed for up to three weeks to facilitate additional proper cleaning based on recommendations from NIOSH and other organizations. The CDC has found that the fungal infections were more common in the Upper Midwest, with higher rates of infection in Minnesota and Wisconsin than other states.
At least one person has died and 96 others have been sickened in an outbreak of blastomycosis at a paper mill in Michigan. The outbreak is linked to the Escanaba Billerud Paper Mill, which is now temporarily shuttered by its owner, Billerud, in order to address the unprecedented outbreak. Blastomycosis cases have been reported sporadically throughout North America, from the Midwest to the Southeast. A total of 240 cases were reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019 nationwide.
The owners of an Escanaba paper mill have decided to temporarily shut down the mill for three weeks due to a rare fungal outbreak caused by blastomycosis. The shutdown is a precaution to prevent any additional exposures. The local health department has confirmed 21 cases and 76 probable infections. Blastomycosis is a type of fungus that grows in moist soil and decomposing matter, and people are infected by directly breathing in the fungal spores. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a known risk area for blastomycosis infection, but there has never been an industrial outbreak like this documented in the U.S.
An Escanaba, Michigan, paper mill tied to a fungal outbreak will close for three weeks, the mill announced Thursday. County health officials in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are investigating a fungal outbreak tied to the Escanaba Billerud Paper Mill that appears to have sickened dozens of people. The number of confirmed cases has risen to 21, and there are 76 probable cases of blastomycosis among the Escanaba mill workers. The company will temporarily idle the Escanaba Mill for up to three weeks to facilitate additional proper cleaning based on recommendations from NIOSH and other organizations.
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.
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.
Nearly 100 employees of the Billerud Paper Mill in Escanaba, Michigan, have likely contracted blastomycosis, an infection caused by a fungus called Blastomyces. The source of the exposure is still unknown, but the fungus thrives in moist soil and decomposing wood and leaves. The mill has provided its employees with N95 masks and is deep-cleaning the facility to prevent further infections. Health agencies are investigating the outbreak, and infected employees are advised to seek early diagnosis and treatment with prescription antifungal medication.
Over 90 employees at a paper mill in Michigan are believed to be infected with a fungus found in soil and decaying wood, with about a dozen requiring hospitalization. Investigation of the blastomycosis outbreak at the Billerud paper mill in Escanaba is ongoing and involves local, state, and federal health and occupational safety officials. Blastomycosis is a fungal disease that is not typically transferred from person to person, indicating that scores of employees were infected from the same materials containing the blastomyces fungal spores. Workers are being encouraged to wear company-provided N95 masks, and HVAC systems and other areas of the plant are being deep-cleaned as advised by health and occupational safety officials.