A deadly, airborne new strain of fungus has emerged in Oregon. It has killed nearly one out of four known affected people so far and might also attack animals ranging from dogs to dolphins. And it is likely to spread, researchers now warn. The new strain known as VGIIc of the fungus Cryptococcus gattii not only targets humans but has also proven capable of infecting dogs, cats, alpacas, sheep and elk. Other strains have even infected porpoises. Although it can spread to mammals, it does not jump from animal to animal. Instead, people and other animals get it from inhaling spores released by samples of the fungus that infect trees. ‘It’s in the environment, and we’re exposed to the environment,’ researcher Edmond Byrnes III of Duke University Medical Center told LiveScience. ‘And the environmental range of this has been expanding.’ California next? While scientists aren’t sure how the highly infectious or virulent fungus emerged in Oregon, they caution the new strain now looks set to expand to California and other neighboring areas. ‘This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people,’ Byrnes said. ‘Typically, we more often […]