MADISON, Wis. — As some in Wisconsin may be starting to think about heading north for the start of hunting season, local health experts say those people should be aware of a respiratory illness that is largely unique to northern Wisconsin.
Blastomycosis is a virus that can develop if a person breathes in spores of the toxic fungus called Blastomyces dermatitidis, which is found in states in the Great Lakes region and in the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys.
But it’s Wisconsin that has the highest rates of blastomycosis in the entire country, according to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, making it endemic here — especially in northern parts of the state. Data from the CDC shows that in Wisconsin, Blastomycosis rates average between 10 to 40 cases per 100,000 people. Other states, however, only average 1 or 2 cases per 100,000 people every year.
Those who get blastomycosis can experience a range of symptoms, according to Dr. Bruce Klein, a pediatric infectious disease physician and professor of pediatrics at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
“Some people experience only mild flu-like symptoms such as fever and cough, but others may develop pneumonia, and some may die if the fungus colonizes and overwhelms the lungs in the absence of treatment,” Dr. Klein said. “There is no vaccine to prevent blastomycosis and symptoms usually appear between three weeks and three months after a person breathes the fungal spores.”
Those with symptoms should call their doctor so they can get antifungal medication.
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