A great deal of information may be found on the site RxList.com which has a resource guide to help you look up diseases and drugs. As many new drugs are marketed even the docs can't keep up. About 25% of the infections acquired in hospitals are of fungal origin and are difficult to diagnose and treat. They often are mixed with some difficult bacterial species and thus really overwhelm the body's resources and tax the physicians trying to put a finger on the source of the problem. We do have a number of pretty powerful drugs to use including vancomycin and diflucan among many.... Another source that is easily to use is the Merck Manual which describes diseases by group type and the preferred treatment options . Sometimes this just opens up enough information to help you ask more questions....which in itself can be a help. Best wishes. Karl W. Olson, D.M.D. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 1:57 AM Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: Medical question
Con Traas, Fungal infection in an immuno-compromised individual is most serious. There are a number of fungi reported to cause deep human mycoses (to differentiate from atheletes' foot, etc. -- things that are primarily superficial skin disorders). I'm not sure I can remember them all (or even knew all of them), but the ones that come to mind are the following: Aspergillus niger (cause of "aspergillosis") Cephalosporium spp. Phialophora spp. (P. verrucosa, I think) Aureobasidium pullulans Blastomyces Cladosporium spp. The difficulty with the deep mycoses causal agents is that there are very few antibiotics that will target just the causal fungus and do so effectively. I recall my now deceased major professor at Oregon State University, Dr. Wm. Dennison, telling our mycology class about an incident that he had with a fungus isolated from a frog kept in formaldehyde (a preservative). He was really amazed that such a fungus could survive in that setting, isolated it, and then wound up with a fungal infection on his leg that turned out to be the same Cephalosporium fungus. It did not respond to any antibiotic that they had available. I believe they finally had to surgically remove the entire infection in order to stop it (not what you wanted to hear, I know). He used the incident to make the point that fungal infections that cause deep mycoses are extremely serious and often most difficult (if not impossible) to treat at that time (early 1970's). My bet would be on Aspergillus niger. It is a fungus known to cause lung infections in immuno-compromised individuals and produces powdery black spores that can easily get into the air when one is sweeping / cleaning out an enclosed area with leaf or fruit debris (like a fruit storage area). A relatively common saprophytic fungus, it often is found on decaying leaves and can be associated with rotting fruit. It also can be found in homes with wet woodwork that develops a black powdery mold. Don't know if this will help, Con Traas. My best wishes and prayers for your friend. Harold Larsen Dr. Harold Larsen, Interim Manager - WCRC Res. Pathologist & Ext. Fruit Dis. Specialist Colo. St. Univ., WCRC - Orchard Mesa 3168 B 1/2 Road Grand Junction, CO 81503-9621 Ph: (970) 434-3264, x-205 Cell phone: (970) 201-5251 FAX: (970) 434-1035 EMail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Con.Traas wrote: > Hello all, > I have the unfortunate task of asking you what might turn out to be a > life > and death question. > An apple growing friend of mine contracted cancer some time ago, and > was > getting chemotherapy and other treatments. As a result of his > suppressed > immune system, he subsequently contracted what appears to > be an unusual > fungal infection of his lungs. All efforts to diagnose > this in Ireland, and > now in Sweden, have failed. > The doctors are considering the possibility that the fungal infection > may > be something that was carried on the apples, as the grower in > question > continued with his normal apple harvesting, packing, sorting > of rotten > apples etc. despite his condition. > I would appreciate that if any one out there on the list could shed > any > light on this, or would have any suggestions, or might have heard > of > something like this before, to let me know as soon as possible. > Or perhaps, if you know someone off-list, who might know, and would > not > mind to ask them the question, that would also be much appreciated. > The condition of this person is perilous, and without an answer, the > > prognosis is not good. So any help at all would be better than nothing. > Best wishes, > Con Traas > The Apple Farm > Ireland > ++353-52-41459 > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard <http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for the content. ________________________________________________________________________ Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.
