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Thread: Health Warning

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
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    Default Health Warning

    Let this be a warning to firewood and red Gum cutters, especially logs with heart rot .


    Here are two examples......

    A Wood Chopping Farmer Submits to a Wood Fungus

    "... the 60-year-old farmer from Woodglen in East Gippsland never dreamt he could court death simply by chopping wood for the fire.


    Let this be a warning to firewood and red Gum cutters, especially logs with heart rot . There are 2 such occurences in 2017 reported in the news:

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2017-06-09/wood-chop-warning-for-fungus-from-eucalyptus-causing-disease/8599890?fbclid=IwAR1jX-8Kchw6O_WXIzsOPYsETp85x7kmP0XmHMf_bCurYi5Iu4PvXGvvOk4

    "... the 60-year-old farmer from Woodglen in East Gippsland never dreamt he could court death simply by chopping wood for the fire.”


    https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2017-06-09/wood-chop-warning-for-fungus-from-eucalyptus-causing-disease/8599890?fbclid=IwAR1jX-8Kchw6O_WXIzsOPYsETp85x7kmP0XmHMf_bCurYi5Iu4PvXGvvOk4

    .."Sydney father Luke Baglin battles ‘killer’ gum tree as baby daughter remains in intensive care (2017)"

    https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/sydney-father-luke-baglin-battles-killer-gumtree-as-baby-daughter-remains-in-intensive-care-ng-b88489500z

    Euge

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  3. #2
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    Default

    Thanks for that Euge
    Information is empowerment...MM
    Mapleman

  4. #3
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    Default

    May not be relevant, but I just moved 15 cube of "coarse forest litter" from the local green waste people. They mash up all the arborists and gardeners donations and sell it. It was CHOCKA BLOCK with powdery mildew.

    I dont know how gardeners aren't dropping dead daily from lung infections. The dust that came off moving that, plus the black death from 10 cube of rich mulch was horrendous.

    If I stop posting after the end of the week, look for my name in the obituaries!

  5. #4
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by woodPixel View Post
    May not be relevant, but I just moved 15 cube of "coarse forest litter" from the local green waste people. They mash up all the arborists and gardeners donations and sell it. It was CHOCKA BLOCK with powdery mildew.

    I dont know how gardeners aren't dropping dead daily from lung infections. The dust that came off moving that, plus the black death from 10 cube of rich mulch was horrendous.

    If I stop posting after the end of the week, look for my name in the obituaries!

    Quoting extracts from the ABC article…..


    Professor Fraser insists there is no cause for alarm.

    He said Cryptococcus was all around, but a white, powder-like fungus on wood could be a tell-tale sign of intense quantities of the fungus.
    "There's been research over the years that shows if you take blood from a small child … who has been out wandering around in the garden, you can detect antibodies against Cryptococcus," Professor Fraser said.
    "We all would have been exposed to it dozens, hundreds or thousands of time in our lives, but the majority of us fight it off.
    "In this particular instance, if a single individual gets exposed to a bolus dose, so a very large quantity of the infectious particles, that can cause an infection even in healthy individuals.
    "So if that's what happened in this case, then that can happen to anyone, if you got exposed to sufficient quantities."
    For Mr Hine, wearing a mask is now mandatory when he is chopping wood for the fire.


    But if you get it….



    "The big problem is that fungi, at a molecular level, is closely related to humans, which means that anything that can kill a fungus is probably good at killing a human," he said.
    "That means we have a very limited number of anti-fungal agents that can treat infections like this. "It can take months of treatment with drugs that are essentially nowhere near as advanced as we want them to be."

  6. #5
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    Default Warning Continuing - an UPDATE

    Dear forum members, wood cutters & users, Greetings from Victoria, Australia in autumn, the 'season of fungi'…

    You may think I'm an ALARMIST … maybe I an for raising this topic again. Forgive me
    Mind you I love the drama of spalted woods and appreciate that fungi feed us (mushroom and blue cheese), have helped save many '000s of lives (through penicillin) and is vital in our forest eco systems… BUT I continue to react when I read about fungi in wood - how they are adapting and causing more deaths in vulnerable people using wood that contains them. This is more or less a warning, or an extension of what you have been alerted to and know.

    Be careful, protect yourself or avoid exposure if you know you are handling wood and making dust cutting it. This is a worldwide problem not just Australian.

    - I recently shared information here and with IWCS members re Cryptococcus infections caused by wood containing this fungi.

    - Since then I shared a link to paper(s) containing recent research with Eremophila species (endemic dryland species in Australia) with extracts / chemicals which show them to be effective in killing these fungi. (This is more of academic interest.)


    -A recent ABC news item appeared about Cryptococcus (and 2 other fungi genera) which paints general and alarming picture of a growing problem. Link below.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-...ealth/11018652

    “ ….Fungi spend their lives quietly decomposing the planet's organic waste but some have developed resistance to pesticides and a threat to human health is looming..", writes Justin Beardsley.

    -------------------------------------------------

    Personally for me, FUNGI, WOOD TOXICITY & even EREMOPHILA spp. have been all part of my past professional life. So I find this confluence now extraordinary!

    I wish you well when handling wood. Wear a mask especially if your immune system is poor or you react to wood dust.

    Euge

  7. #6
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by woodPixel View Post
    May not be relevant, but I just moved 15 cube of "coarse forest litter" from the local green waste people. They mash up all the arborists and gardeners donations and sell it. It was CHOCKA BLOCK with powdery mildew.

    I dont know how gardeners aren't dropping dead daily from lung infections. The dust that came off moving that, plus the black death from 10 cube of rich mulch was horrendous.

    If I stop posting after the end of the week, look for my name in the obituaries!
    I missed the notice in the OBITUARIES WP.
    Mine may appear before yours

  8. #7
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    Canberra
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    Default

    It is horrendous. Not long after that post, we had a semi decent bit of rain. First in ages. Up sprung dozens of giant globs of "dog puke" fungi. Diabolical!

    Many around Canberra on a local notice board reported the same.

    As a thing, I also read recently that many fungi diseases have now been showing resistance to multiple fungicides.....

    The apocalypse begins.....

    Edit: Rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated.... Though some here may be saddened to hear that I'm not yet there....

  9. #8
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    Default

    This report may be relevant:
    Quote: "Here, it was long known as a rare but devastating cause of meningitis in forestry workers and koalas."


    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-17/fungus-superbug-next-threat-to-human-health/11018652?section=health

    Franklin

  10. #9
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    Default

    Hi Fuzzie

    Yes, thats the same ABC report & link that I refer to on my post above.
    Thanks, it help emphasise that the media are onto it.

    Euge

  11. #10
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    Default

    Don't wish to add to the bad news around but you should know and be reminded

    TOXICITY of WOOD


    When fires end, the damaged trees and forests will be tempting to wood gatherers.
    Speak about this with your doctor if you are worried or show symptoms. Share this and these references as you should amongst woody friends,

    Bacteria in Wood - Health Warnings

    1. Cryptococcus
    http://www.abc.net.au/…/wood-chop-warning-for-fungu…/8599890


    2. Blastomycosis: A Serious* Life threatening Infection from cutting Rotting wood
    https://www.arboristsite.com/…/serious-life-threatening-in…/

    Inhaling spores from rotting wood can cause this life long illness and even death. I think we can all spread the word about this as knowing this information may save someone some day if they go into a hospital that mis-diagnoses this disease as pneumonia: Google Health

    Blastomycosis is a rare infection that may develop when people breathe in (inhale) a fungus called Blastomyces dermatitidis, which is found in wood and soil.
    Lung infection may produce no symptoms, but when the infection spreads, skin or bone sores (lesions) may appear. The bladder, kidney, prostate, and testes may be affected.

    Other symptoms may include:
    - Chest pain
    - Cough (may produce brown or bloody mucus)
    - Fatigue
    - Fever
    - General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
    - Joint stiffness and pain
    - Muscle stiffness and pain
    - Rash
    - Shortness of breath
    - Sweating
    - Unintentional weight loss

    Also look at Dismented hystoplasmosis

    3. Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis:
    https://www.medicinenet.com/hypersensitivity_p…/article.htm…
    Common Features
    Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

    3. USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station
    General Technical. Report NRS-97
    Wood Decay in Living and Dead Trees: A Pictorial Overview
    https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nrs97.pdf

    4. Toxic old Sleepers (Railway Ties in US)

    http://www.latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/…/sleepers-hidden-t…/
    https://www.theage.com.au/…/danger-warning-on-stolen-rail-s…

    5. History of Sleeper Cutters by Robert Whiter (Eden)

    https://www.bombalatimes.com.au/…/sleeper-cutters-history-…/

    Please consult your doctor for any help understanding or treating symptoms. Please read warnings at top of this forum.
    THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE its for your information.

  12. #11
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    Oh dear! I don't want to sound like some sort of fungal disease denier but these conditions have been with us for a very long time and are very well-known to veterinarians. There is a number of these organisms, technically known as 'fungi imperfecti' because of known or assumed irregularities in their life cycles that make them appear different from the good old mushrooms & toadstools that we are all familiar with. Veterinarians have been dealing with them for a very long time, the incidence of fungal skin diseases & internal infections is far higher in cats & dogs (particularly in certain localities) than it is in humans. Infections are uncommon in healthy adults, but exposure to very large doses of potentially infective material is dangerous no matter how healthy you are.

    The world was awash with fungi of all types before we evolved, but human beings continue to overrun the planet. The powder you see in great abundance in mulch & other places is mostly the spores of non-pathogenic (i.e. not causing disease) species. It may indicate the presence of more dangerous stuff, or it may not, the really nasty ones don't announce their presence quite so clearly as a rule. Pigeon poo can contain large numbers of Cryptococcus, as well as other nasty fungi - so city squares are just as dangerous as Eucalypt woodland.

    The weird & wonderful arrays of fruiting bodies ('mushrooms') are to be admired for their variety of forms rather than feared. However, breathing in large quantities of relatively non-pathogenic spores is never a good idea, you can develop infections if exposed to large doses of many normally harmless fungi or bacteria, and many of us will develop allergies to the spores, the effects of which can range from mildly irritating to life-threatening, the same as with allergies to numerous other environmental substances. For example, so-called "farmers' lung" is a serious disease caused by exposure to a variety of fungal spores in hay & silage, but people in other occupations exposed to large numbers of fungal spores can equally develop the condition.

    So be alert but not (too) alarmed. There are many, many things out there wanting to set up housekeeping in your bodies & you are at least as likely to contract something nasty at work or play as on your annual firewood-gathering pilgrimage or muching the cabbages. If you develop any unusual, non-healing skin condition or persistent cough, etc., the prudent course of action is to consult a competent health-professional.

    Cigarettes, motor vehicles, & poor lifestyle choices have killed (& will continue to kill) many, many more of us than Cryptococcus is ever likely to manage.....
    Cheers,
    IW

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