Look Out For Fungus

Landscaper contractors need to look out of potentially deadly fungus, as the first case of human infection has been reported. The reported victim is having to take large doses of the anti-fungal drug fluconazole four times daily to combat the infection.

Landscape contractors need to look out for fungus Cryptococcus gattii as the first case of human infection is reported.

A man living off Discovery Road in Port Townsend is recovering from Cryptococcus gattii in the first confirmed case of human infection by the potentially deadly fungus on the North Olympic Peninisula.

Where the landscaper contracted the fungus is unclear, but Dr. Tom Locke, public health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, said he has seen no indication of a source on the Peninsula.

The victim has been taking anti-fungal medication since his condition was diagnosed in April, and is feeling better than he has since December, when he first came down with what he thought was the flu.

Be Aware, Get Treated

His recovery is due to getting the correct diagnosis before the infection progressed, said his wife..

"People need to be aware of this disease," she said.

"If they have a cold that won't go away they need to ask their doctor to pay attention to this possibility."

Treatment involves six to eight weeks of intravenous antifungal medications followed by months of pills.

The airborne fungus, which is native to tropical regions, appeared on Vancouver Island in the late 1990s.

It moved into the U.S. in 2004, and last month, experts said that the strain had appeared in Oregon -- and had mutated to become more lethal than the British Columbia strain.

But infection is rare in Washington state. Until this case, it had been seen only in Whatcom, King and San Juan counties, with only eight or nine cases total, Locke has said.

Locke said there are many unknowns about the fungus, such as where it can be found, how it spreads and how it came to the region.

But the one certainty, according to Locke, is that it is not contagious.

C. gattii is not transmitted from person to person or carried by insects or animals. Rather, the fungus forms spores that are blown in the wind or moved by soil disturbances of the soil.

It also isn't life threatening, keeping in mind that any infection can take a turn for the worse and cause unforeseen complications.

"This is a very rare condition," Locke said. "And it's treatable as long as it's diagnosed correctly."

In this case the diagnosis took a while.

The victim began experiencing respiratory distress in December, 2009. He thought he had the flu. But it didn't go away.

After a series of tests, he received a call in early April that told of several "shadows" on his lungs.

Fears of Cancer

While stopping short of an absolute diagnosis, the word "cancer" was tossed about several times, he said.

Under this cloud, he received three scans in the following two weeks, which turned out to be inconclusive.

During this time, his large family rallied around him.

His three children and other relatives provided support, and people gravitated to his home with the purpose of saying goodbye.

On April 21, a lung biopsy at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles showed that he did not have cancer, but instead the rare fungus.

More Energetic

Now, the victim, who has lost weight, feels more energetic.

Origin Unknown

Testing continues at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, which has been unable to determine the origin of the fungus that infected Von Lelyveld.

The most likely candidates are Oregon or British Columbia. He has traveled to both locations recently.

Another possibility is Hawaii, where Von Lelyveld visits regularly as part of his home-based retail business.

People who stir up the soil are the most likely to encounter the fungus.

"Even then, the risk of human exposure is fairly low," Locke has said.

People who want to take preventive steps should wear face masks if their job requires them to stir up excess vegetable matter.

And if they are suffering from flu-like symptoms that do not subside after a reasonable time they should seek medical attention.