Deadly Airborne fungus affects people with healthy immune system
April 24th, 2010 - 1:07 am ICT by Aishwarya BhattOregon, Apr 23 (THAINDIAN NEWS) There is a deadly airborne fungus that is now the prowl. This is a new strain of the fungus, that affects people who have a good immune system. Generally the fungal diseases affect those people who have a weak immune system. The health care professionals in Oregon and Washington are worried about the new strain, as the deadly airborne fungus has reached the Pacific Northwest.
The researchers at the Duke University were studying 21 patients who are suffering from this deadly fungal infection. The airborne fungus is called Cryptococcus gattii. This particular strain of the fungus is already responsible for the death of 6 people out of the 21 infected patients. “It can simulate some other common type of pneumonia’s. Instead of antibiotics you need to treat this with anti-fungal therapy that we usually never use for pneumonia,” said the Providence Portland MD John Heffner.
The fungal infection can be treated with the proper usage of medicines and timely medical aid, but it can’t be prevented. The medical fraternity said that currently that there is no vaccine for the fungus. The symptoms of the fungal infection are a chronic cough, sharp chest pain, and shortness of breath, headache, fever and even weight loss.
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