One person has died from a fungal infection they contracted at a paper mill in Michigan in the midst of what could be one of the largest fungal outbreaks in US history.
The person, whose name has not been released, was a contractor at the mill and died of mycosis. About 12 people have also been hospitalized for the fungus and there are nearly 100 suspected or confirmed cases.
Officials who confirmed the death today said they were “deeply saddened” by the death and that their “heartfelt condolences” were with the family.
The Billerud Company, which operates a paper mill in Escanaba, on the state’s Upper Peninsula, announced late Thursday that it would close the plant for three weeks — about a month after the outbreak began — to allow for a deep clean.
The Swedish company that runs the plant said the closure was a “precautionary measure”. Workers at the plant told DailyMail.com that infections persisted as the plant remained open and the source of the outbreak has yet to be determined.
Pictured above is the Bellerod Paper Mill in Escanaba, Upper Peninsula, Michigan, where the outbreak was discovered
Experts said the outbreak, which involved nearly 100 people, was unusual for its scale. Typically, the number of outbreaks is less than 10, they added
The above shows the cumulative number of blastomycosis cases recorded in the outbreak by date. All patients are believed to work at the Bellrod plant, which employed 900 people
Michael Snyder, health officer for the local health department, said: ‘We are saddened to hear this news.
“Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the family, friends and co-workers who have lost loved ones.”
“Everyone at Billerud is deeply saddened by this news,” said Brian Peterson, Billerud’s vice president of operations for the plant.
“Anyone who works at our facility is part of our team and we keep that individual, their family, co-workers and friends in our thoughts and close to our hearts.”
Mycosis fungoides was first diagnosed at the plant in late February, but it took Bellrod more than a month to order the closure — initially requiring employees to wear face masks to avoid infection.
The company said it was first alerted to the onychomycosis outbreak in early March when workers first tested positive for the fungus.
Christophe Michalski, CEO of Billerud, which operates the plant, said it was closed as a precaution
The number of cases has since increased to 21 confirmed cases and 76 probable cases as of April 14, according to the local health department.
They also confirmed the presence of 12 hospital admissions.
All cases are believed to have been among factory workers. If the results of the majority of potential cases are positive, this will be the largest outbreak of mycosis to date.
The current largest case — the 2010 outbreak in Wisconsin — has 55 cases, including 30 hospitalizations and two deaths. No source was ever specified.
Gerald Keel, who leads the United Steelworkers union representing employees at the plant, said some workers required weeks of hospital care.
Those who became critically ill were “unable to breathe” and were “coughing up blood or mucus,” Jimmy Derr, vice president of the union, told DailyMail.com.
He said, “Their lungs are filled with nodules (from the fungus), and there are fungal masses on their lungs that prevent them from breathing.”
Mr. Dier said he had to battle a six-week infection with the fungus that gave him shortness of breath and fungal nodules in his lungs, but he has since recovered.
Health officials warn that cases of mycosis fungoides are on the rise across the United States. In Minnesota, also located in the Midwest, data shows that fungal infections are on the rise.
Mycosis (stock image of the fungus Blastomyces) can cause cold-like symptoms in the early stages, but then the fungus can spread to other areas of the body resulting in a more severe disease
Mill leaders are working with health services including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the local health department to deal with the outbreak.
Announcing the three-week plant closure yesterday, Billerud CEO and President Christoph Michalski said: ‘As a precautionary measure, we will pause the Escanaba mill for up to three weeks to facilitate additional proper cleaning based on (health authorities’) recommendations.
“This required larger parts of the mill to be vacant while this work was being carried out.”
He added, “Although the source of the injury has not been identified and we have not received any information from (investigators) affiliated with the factory… that it is not safe to visit or work in the factory, we take this matter very seriously.”
While the plant is closed, the company plans to deep clean the ventilation system and replace the filters.
They will also clean ‘high traffic’ areas of the plant, where many workers pass, and test raw materials that arrive on site for fungus.
Anyone visiting the factory will also be required to wear an N95 face mask to reduce the risk of infection.
The source of the outbreak has not been identified, although the fungus may have arrived at the facility on rotten or damp wood.
Workers say the paper the factory produces is used for magazines and for making brochures.
Blastomyces is a mold that lurks in the moist soil and leaf litter of the eastern half of the United States.
People can breathe in its spores, which can infect the lungs and cause a cold-like illness with symptoms including cough, fever, and chest pain.
In severe cases, the fungus spreads from the lungs to other organs, including the muscles, bones, and brain.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the disease has a death rate of about 1 in 100 patients.
Medications are available to treat the condition, including antifungals — such as itraconazole — which work by disrupting the fungus’ cell wall, causing cells to shed and eventually die.
However, those taking these medications may need to continue using them for up to a year to clear the infection.
Public health officials say the infection is not passed from person to person.
