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[Lisa]

Resident investigates blasto spores in trees
Kenora Miner and News
Monday November 05, 2007
By Mike Aiken
Full text: http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/News/351586.html

Middle Lake resident Susan Evenden is warning people to stay away from blue trees.
She recently found blasto spores above ground on her property while clearing brush, and she’s had samples tested at a lab to confirm her fears.
“None of these specimens came from soil samples. One of the samples that tested positive for blastomyces dermatitidis was a twig taken from part way up a tree that was covered in the bluish substance. The other sample was taken from a growth on the ground. The ground in the area was covered in the same substance as were the tree trunks extending as much as three or four feet up the trunk,” she wrote for her on-line blog.
According to the Northwestern Health Unit, blastomycosis may seem like the “flu” with cough, muscle aches, joint pain, tiredness, chills and fever. The health unit’s information sheet on blasto says symptoms may develop suddenly, days to weeks after exposure to the fungus. In some people, the symptoms can go away naturally but others may develop a persistent cough with yellow or green spit. This may be the first sign of pneumonia.

A blastomycosis infection usually starts in the lungs but sometimes it can cause a skin infection. This will look like red pimples, which can develop crusts or ulcers, on the face or other exposed skin.
The health unit information continues to say, “the fungus is in the soil. Construction, digging or gardening may cause the fungal spores to be carried into the air and inhaled. You can only get blastomycosis from the fungus that is in the soil or the fungus spores in the air. You cannot get it from another person or an animal.”
Kenora has been the focus of attention in recent months as there seem to be a sharp increase in cases. The disease can also be fatal for pets, who contract it while sniffing the ground outdoors.
Evenden said over the weekend she has brought her findings to the attention of the Northwestern Health Unit, as well as the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.
The director of environmental health for the health unit, Bill Limerick, acknowledged blastomycosis spores are found in the area, sometimes above ground, so it’s not possible for staff to try and identify all the areas where they’re found.
“You can’t go and put signs up that this is a blasto area,” he said Monday. “It’s there. It’s part of our environment.”
Limerick encouraged those seeking more information to look up their web site. Residents who suspect they may have symptoms are encouraged to check with their physician, he added.

[Wilson3]

this is so very interesting
i am wondering though when the dry spell comes the spores become air born,is there any way to find out if the spores grew there or did they become air born and land on the tree?
thanks
wilson3

[SusanE]

I'm the Susan Evenden in the story you printed. I found a blue fungus coating many trees that I was cutting down, in an area that fits the blasto profile. When I approached the trees to cut them down, I was enveloped in a cloud that fogged my glasses. The Health Unit did not return my calls to answer my questions regarding my blasto concerns. I ended up paying to have a lab test the blue fungus on a twig. The test came back positive for blastomyces.

The blue fungus was on about 15 trees in a 30 foot area. The fungus was as high as 15 feet in the air and also right on ground level. I am shocked that no one is interested in studying this.

I am told that blasto is ONLY in the soil, but here it is on twigs above ground.

The entire details of my experience are at http://mushingmum.blogspot.com/search/label/Blastomyces%20dermatitidis .

If anyone here can shed any insight into this, or recommend anyone who would be interested in studying this area please let me know. I'm told that it should survive the winter, but I'm considering gathering more samples in case someone wants to do something over the winter.

[Wilson3]

this is very interesting!!!
the blue fungus you are talking about is confusing i see that on trees all the time many differnt ones
so you are saying this is blasto?
this is ever where in milwaukee and many other places i really would love to learn more about it
thanks
wilson3

[Wilson3]

wondering
blasto cannot be seen with the naked eye you need a microscope does all blue fungus have blasto or only some
is it there also with many other fungus
thanks

[SusanE]

We will never know. This is not in the Health Unit's mandate as they finally told me today. And I have yet to locate a Mycologist that is interested.

[Wilson3]

i am still confused
to bad no one is interestd
i know you cannot see blasto but you are now say you can it is the blue fungus???
the stuff is every where in wisconsin in ever neighbor hood city or country
my question is did the spores become air born when the dry spell came and then rest landed on the tree or did it grow there?
i guess we might never know so sad that they dont care
thanks for all the info

[SusanE]

I can't say for sure the blue fungus is blastomyces. All I can say is the twig covered in blue fungus and the swab taken from the leave covered in blue fungus both tested positve for blastomyces. We did not have a particularly dry summer here in Kenora. What I read somewhere is that blastomyces spores travel best in moist, humid conditions, but I can't recall where i read it and how authoratative the site was.

What I can say for certain. If I ever see a tree covered in blue fungus (as per the pictures on my webpage http://mushingmum.blogspot.com/search/label/Blastomyces%20dermatitidis) I will give it a very wide berth.

[jpr3390]

Hello I know this thread is old but I wanted to thank SusanE for the info and link showing the Health Gene company. I recently lost my dog to Blasto and even though people say it is not in trees my tree was just tested pos. for blasto. I also tested the Cypress Mulch I laid down and that to tested pos.

Thanks again for all the info everyone has left. 

[jpr3390]

Just as an FYI I thought I should mention im from northern Illinois and im not near any body of water were most cases show to be.

[Teritoo]

I live in Kenora and I was just diagnosed with Blasto!  I live on the north side of a small ridge, but have never noticed any blue fungus.  Yet.  I haven't really known WHAT to look for as I'd been told it was a spore, probably in ground.  I'm still researching and finding out more day by day.  Thanks for posting, because it gave me the idea to look in the Daily Miner's archive section.... I'd wondered if anyone had actually written about it in the local newspaper.  Found at least 5 good articles, one might even help me
if they have an emergency fund.  I cannot work and don't have coverage!  Blasted (pardon the pun) Sporanox costs me 233.18 out of my own pocket!  What gets me is I've been inviting my friends to visit, what if they contract blasto and go home and end up sick?!  Are out tourists even warned about this stuff?