|
Updated: 3:26 PM Jun 7, 2007
Pine Needles May Have Led To A Rare Infection
Health officials believe they now know the reason a 16-year-old girl from Merrill died last year.
Posted: 2:13 PM Jun 5, 2007 |
|
The health department says a large pile of pine needles at Merrill's yard waste site is the likely source of a rare fungal infection that led to the death of a 16-year-old girl and sickened 20 others last year.
>
State Epidemiologist John Archer says weather patterns and soil conditions contributed to the outbreak of blastomycosis. He says it was likely the largest urban outbreak in the country.
>
Tristan Muenchow, a Merrill High School junior, died February 14th of last year from the fungal infection. She lived next door to the waste site.
>
Thirteen of the people who got sick lived within a half-mile of the yard waste site and three others had almost daily exposure to it.
>
State Microbiologist John Pfister says 9 months of drought in early 2005 followed by rain in the fall might have created an environment for the fungus to grow in the pile of pine needles and release spores.
- SKYWARN 13 UPDATE: Light Snow to Continue for Parts of Western Wisconsin
- Man pulls friend out of creek after snowmobile crash
- Investigators: Inmates forged release documents and escaped from Stanley prison
- UPDATE: No search Sunday for missing snowmobiler in St. Croix River
- Ashley Furniture to open 300 new franchise stores
- Unemployment benefits will run out soon for some
- Sheriff's Department reports increase in drunk driving arrests
- Bill could prevent schools from being part of WIAA
- Rep. John Murtha Dies
- Area police department cracks down on seat belt violations
- NEW INFORMATION: Local couple finally home with adopted Haitian daughter
41 Comments - Twice the gift: Surrogate mother gives birth to cousin's twins
15 Comments - NEW INFORMATION: Greg Gubernot pleads not guilty in murder case
13 Comments - Police chief expresses concern over Catholic diocese policy
13 Comments - Unemployment benefits will run out soon for some
13 Comments - Ashley Furniture to open 300 new franchise stores
10 Comments
