A mother-of-one has died from a rare fungus that is spreading rapidly in the United States.
Sonya Cruz, 31, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, died July 5 of blastomycosis — a disease caused by the fungus Blastomyces, which is found primarily in the soil of forested areas.
The rarity of the condition — in some states there are only one or two cases per 100,000 people per year — caused her to die after doctors initially failed to recognize the infection.
Her family is now trying to raise awareness about the infection, which can kill up to 78 percent of those who get it, in the hope that others won’t have to suffer the heartache.
Ms Cruz’s husband, John Cruz, told Fox 6: “My life.” They took my life. I’m not saying the hospital or whoever. Whatever it is, my wife took it.’
The fungus is the same one that infected over 100 workers at a Michigan paper mill this spring.
Sonya Cruz with her husband John Cruz on their wedding anniversary in 2019
Ms. Cruz (second from right) died of blastomycosis on July 5
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, deaths from blastomycosis infections are increasing.
In 2021, 82 cases of infection were reported. In most years, nine percent of people with blastomycosis die from the infection, but in 2021, 23 percent of patients died.
According to Morgan Hughes, Ms Cruz’s sister, a telecommunications company is digging around Ms Cruz’s home to lay an underground cable.
Ms Hughes said the Wisconsin Department of Health had opened an investigation into her sister’s death.
On June 16, Ms. Cruz went to the emergency room at St. Katherine Hospital in Kenosha, Wisconsin, complaining of trouble breathing.
Doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia and sent her home on antibiotics.
A week and a half later the situation had not improved and she went to her family doctor.
She was admitted to St. Katherine’s Hospital, where staff gave her more antibiotics and fluids. Two days later she suffered respiratory failure.
Ms. Cruz was put on a ventilator and sedated. Since her blood pressure was slowly dropping, she was given medication to keep her heart working.
Doctors performed a bronchoscopy and a biopsy of her lungs, which came back positive for blastomycosis.
Surveillance conducted in 2021 revealed fungal infection hotspots across the United States
Mr. Cruz had never heard of the disease until his wife contracted it.
He said, “I can go out here and swallow a bullet, not literally a bullet, but a bullet of it.”
“I think that’s something that needs to be shared around the world.”
Blastomyces tend to reside in damp soil, rotting wood, and leaves. In the case of ground disturbances, the spores can be thrown into the air.
If the spores are inhaled, they can get into the lungs and cause a fungal infection.
Symptoms include cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pains, and chest pains.
It is not transmitted from person to person but can spread within an individual to other parts of the body such as the skin or bones.
The fungus can be deadly if not caught early.
Ms. Cruz received antifungal treatment but sadly passed away after just over a week in hospital.
The family set up a GoFundMe for Ms. Cruz, which said, “We’ve lost a ray of sunshine in this world.” “TeTe” “SoSo” meant the world to so many around her.
“She was and still is surrounded by love for family, friends, her children and her amazing husband John.”
“Me, John and the family are asking if you can contribute to this fund so that we can celebrate her life in the way we think she deserves.”
dr Bruce Klein of the University of Wisconsin Medical School has been studying the infection for almost 40 years.
He said reported cases are rare in Wisconsin and the infection is underreported.
“That’s probably only a fraction of the actual incidence of infection, since we know that at least half of the cases can have mild or asymptomatic illness,” said Dr. Small.
However, the Wisconsin Department of Health said it has the highest rate of blastomycosis in the United States.
Between 2011 and 2020, the department reported 1,412 cases — an average of 116 per year.
About 61 percent of those patients were hospitalized, while 124 died, giving a mortality rate of 11 percent.
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