Fungal infection kills two on Island

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Fungal infection kills two on Island

Most people immune to Cryptococcus gattii

McCulloch, Times Colonist

Published: Thursday, September 07, 2006

Times Colonist - ,BC,Canada

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/capital_van_isl/stor

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Two Vancouver Island men have died this summer from Cryptococcus

gattii, a fungal infection that can't be prevented or cured, said

Dr. Mark Gilbert of the Vancouver Island Health Authority on

Wednesday.

" We get on average between one and three Cryptococcus deaths each

year, " said Mark Gilbert, VIHA medical health officer.

There are 16 to 23 cases of the fungal infection reported each year,

he said, which means the numbers of those who become ill and who die

are still within the normal range.

The risk of exposure to the fungus increases along the coastline

from Port Renfrew through and up the east coast to the

Comox Valley.

" When we get reports, there's nothing we can do, " said Gilbert.

" It's not a preventable infection. There's no vaccine, there's no

medication you give those who've had contact. It's a yeast-like

fungus.

" You can't avoid it. It's a very unfortunate fact of life here. "

The risk of getting the disease is very low, he points out, " and

most of the people who are exposed never develop any infection. "

Cryptococcus usually is discovered after a patient complains to

their doctor of symptoms resembling those of pneumonia or meningitis.

" Sometimes it's not found out until an autopsy is performed, "

Gilbert said.

Details of those who died this summer have not been released for

privacy reasons, said Gilbert.

He confirmed, however, that both were male. " We were notified about

these deaths in August, and both deaths would have occurred in the

last three or four months, " he said.

Cryptococcus can strike at any age, but the elderly and those with

poor immune systems are especially vulnerable. You acquire it by

exposure to the fungus in the environment. The infection does not

spread from person to person.

" It's found on soil and trees. In the last year, there's now

connections on the Lower Mainland, so it's not just on the Island

anymore. There are cases developing with people who haven't been to

Vancouver Island. "

The fungus can make people ill at any point of the year, he said.

" The important thing is if people are concerned about their

symptoms, they can go see their physician, " Gilbert said.

Most people immune to Cryptococcus gattii

McCulloch, Times Colonist

Published: Thursday, September 07, 2006

Two Vancouver Island men have died this summer from Cryptococcus

gattii, a fungal infection that can't be prevented or cured, said

Dr. Mark Gilbert of the Vancouver Island Health Authority on

Wednesday.

" We get on average between one and three Cryptococcus deaths each

year, " said Mark Gilbert, VIHA medical health officer.

There are 16 to 23 cases of the fungal infection reported each year,

he said, which means the numbers of those who become ill and who die

are still within the normal range.

The risk of exposure to the fungus increases along the coastline

from Port Renfrew through and up the east coast to the

Comox Valley.

" When we get reports, there's nothing we can do, " said Gilbert.

" It's not a preventable infection. There's no vaccine, there's no

medication you give those who've had contact. It's a yeast-like

fungus.

" You can't avoid it. It's a very unfortunate fact of life here. "

The risk of getting the disease is very low, he points out, " and

most of the people who are exposed never develop any infection. "

Cryptococcus usually is discovered after a patient complains to

their doctor of symptoms resembling those of pneumonia or meningitis.

" Sometimes it's not found out until an autopsy is performed, "

Gilbert said.

Details of those who died this summer have not been released for

privacy reasons, said Gilbert.

He confirmed, however, that both were male. " We were notified about

these deaths in August, and both deaths would have occurred in the

last three or four months, " he said.

Cryptococcus can strike at any age, but the elderly and those with

poor immune systems are especially vulnerable. You acquire it by

exposure to the fungus in the environment. The infection does not

spread from person to person.

" It's found on soil and trees. In the last year, there's now

connections on the Lower Mainland, so it's not just on the Island

anymore. There are cases developing with people who haven't been to

Vancouver Island. "

The fungus can make people ill at any point of the year, he said.

" The important thing is if people are concerned about their

symptoms, they can go see their physician, " Gilbert said.