Cryptococcus Gattii News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Panic anyone, but they want folks to be warned. trace gallagher has more. what is this and should people be worried? >> reporter: a headline out of a study at duke university says it's deadly and it's spreading but don't give it a second thought. it's called cryptococcus gattii or c-gatti. it lives in soil and you can't avoid this stuff because it's airborne it's like you can wash your hand like you did with the flu. they think it was carried from tropical climates into canada. then it made its way into washington, down through oregon and recently it was spot in san francisco and los angeles. ...

Species tends to infect regular people, who don't have aids, who are not on chemotherapy -- you, me, anybody. that's why this is so worrisome. >> is there anything that strikes in your mind a reason those people who are killed by it and those who are not? is there anything? >> there aren't enough numbers to say. what's rally worrisome is in 1999 when the cryptococcus started infecting the pacific northwest, it was not a good disease to have but it wasn't as fatal as it appears to be now. >> this thing has morphed? >> yeah. a recent study from dukey]wuw s there are real genetic changes occurrin...

A new deadly strain of an airborne fungus has emerged in oregon. it is being blamed on up to 23 deaths so far. the cryptococcus gattii fungus kills about 25% of people infected. it is spreading into california and washington state. because the fungus is airborne, there's no way to prevent catching it. but you can watch out for the symptoms close to the common cold. they are chronic coughs, headaches, fever, shortness of breath, to name a few. the trial resumes tomorrow for a 22-year-old man accused of breaching sarah palin's e-mail account. the former alaska governor took the stand friday at...

The cryptococcus gattii fungus, as it's called, has reportedly killed about 25% of those infected. it is now set to spread into california and washington state. joining us is dr. ira bright with westside medical associates. good morning to you. >> thank you. good morning. >> 1 out of 4 people it will kill? >> it may, but there are only 21 people that reported who have been sick so far so the absolute numbers are still small. however, the whole thing is quite worrisome because of the changes that this cryptococcus, this yeast has undergone over the years. >> are there target people that have co...

Today. today, alex, i know you haven't been outside in a while. sunny, a beautiful spring day. tomorrow it won't be like that. >> thank you very much, bill karins. we'll go live to mississippi -- look at the picture there! thank you, bill. there is the proof. in just a few minutes, we'll get a report from the weather channel's mike seidel. for all the latest developments go to weather.com. a newly discovered strain of an airborne fungus has caused several deaths in oregon. it is now spreading into california and washington state. sounds scary, right? nbc's jeff rossen joins me now live wit...