FUNGUS CAUSING MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN THE BOOTHEEL

CHARLESTON -- Blastomycosis. It is a disease that many people have never heard of but a study will begin Monday in order to find out more about the disease which several Mississippi County residents have encountered in the last year.

An open meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Monday with the Mississippi County Health Department, Missouri Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control to discuss the disease that has been found several times in Mississippi County.

Sue Tippen, communicable disease coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health, said the disease is caused by a fungus that can usually be found in environmental areas like wooded areas, under dirt, etc. However, the disease is not common to Missouri.

"I don't know where the highest prevalence of it is," Tippen said. "Every state probably has some cases, but over the past years we have gotten reports of cases and determined that there have been a cluster of cases in the Mississippi County area." Those reports of blastomycosis in Mississippi County prompted the study, although there are not many reported at one time. "The last case that I am aware of was in August of 1999," Tippen said. "We want to increase awareness of (blastomycosis) because there may be something there that we might be able to identify to let the public know that this is a risk factor. We also want to let the public know what the symptoms of the disease are and to try to create awareness in the community and the medical community so that early treatment can be received." Tippen said the symptoms resemble those one might have if they had the flu. A fever and cough are usually signs and sometimes people can get over it rather quickly. However, not everyone is so lucky.

The onset of blastomycosis is often times slow and can spread from the lungs causing skin lesions, weight loss and other symptoms that resemble those of pneumonia. If left untreated, the disease can cause death in its advanced stages. When detected, however, the disease can be treated by medication.

The disease is spread whenever the spores become airborne but Tippen was quick to point out that it is not spread person-to-person.

"Someone with a compromised immune system is of greater risk, but everybody is at risk, although everyone will not develop the disease," Tippen said.

"You look at people with a lot of outdoor exposure either at work or recreation as those with the greatest risk because you get into the environmental areas." The meeting will be held at the Mississippi County Health Department in Charleston and Tippen wishes to invite the public in hopes of getting a large attendance. "I know the community is concerned and I hope they will turn out," Tippen said.

The study begins this week but Tippen is unsure when the results will be released. "We don't know how long the study is going to take."