Why is the possible spread of Cryptococcus gattii beyond Vancouver Island a concern?
[David Warnock] Well, Dan, as you said, until 2003, all the human cases of Cryptococcus gattii that had been reported actually occurred among people who either lived in or who had traveled to the Island during the year before they became ill. However, in 2004 and 2005, the disease was detected in 3 people and 8 animals residing in mainland British Columbia. None of these cases had visited the Island or any other known endemic area for Cryptococcus gattii infection. All of these cases were infected with the same molecular type of Cryptococcus gattii found among the clinical and environmental isolates from the Island. Animals and people outside British Columbia with no known link to Vancouver Island have also been infected. There are now reports of cases among 3 cats in Washington State and 2 people in Oregon. These cases represent the first evidence that we have local disease acquisition in the western United States. What is still unclear is whether these cases outside Vancouver Island
