空氣傳染的致命隱球菌正在美加兩國西北部飄散!
(2010-04-23 10:15:30)
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題目:恐怖變種黴菌美加西岸亂飄 人畜可能致命-ZT
(中央社華盛頓2010年4月22日路透電)
研究報告今天指出,一種可能致命的黴菌株,正在美國西北部和加拿大卑詩省(British Columbia)人畜間散布。研究人員說,這種藉由空氣傳染的黴菌稱作血清型B和C隱球菌(Cryptococcus gattii),通常隻傳染給器官移植者和愛滋病患等免疫係統受損的人,不過新黴菌株基因上已有不同。
美國北卡羅萊納州杜克(Duke)大學的柏恩茲(Edmond Byrnes)說:“這種新黴菌令人擔心,因為似乎會威脅其他健康的人類。”
“這裏發布的報告記載著,北美西部的血清型B和C隱球菌持續在這個溫帶地區擴散。”這份報告刊登在公共科學圖書館期刊(PLoS)。
研究人員說,新的黴菌株有極不尋常的致命性,美國21個經過分析的案例中,死亡率約達25%。
1999年至2003年,病例大多僅局限於溫哥華島(Vancouver Island)。
“2003年至2006年,疫情擴散至旁邊的卑詩省陸地,2005年至2009年再進入華盛頓州和俄勒岡州(Oregon)。若以曆史路徑推測,疫情可能會持續擴散至附近的北加州,甚至更遠。”
人類或動物接觸這種會產生孢子的黴菌,2周後會出現症狀,包括咳嗽長達數周、胸口劇痛、呼吸急促、頭痛、發燒、夜間盜汗和體重下降。
在貓、狗、羊駝和綿羊身上也都發現病例。
研究人員說,這種黴菌在低溫下無法存活,不過氣候變遷可能助長疫情擴散。(譯者:中央社李威翰)
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另一報道:【Deadly Fungus Spreading Across United States And CanadaAn】
Airborne fungus known as Cryptococcus gattii is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia.
This is very bad news as this particular strain of virus is very dangerous and in many cases is fatal to those who contract it.
According to health experts, the airborne virus only affects transplant and AIDS patients but is now being detected in otherwise healthy animals and people.
This new strain that has been detected is genetically different than previously known of strains, making it even more dangerous.
“This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people,” said Edmond Byrnes of Duke University in North Carolina,
The researchers documented 25 cases identified in the US, and found that the virus killed 25% of those infected people.
“The findings presented here document that the outbreak of C. gattii in Western North America is continuing to expand throughout this temperate region."
來源:dbtechno.com(Providing Science and technology news since 1996)