A Wisconsan woman died July 5 after developing blastomycosis — a rare infection caused by a fungus found in soil and decaying wood called blastomyces, according to a report from FOX affiliate WITI.
Sonya Cruz's family told the news outlet they had never heard of the illness until her death.
When soil is disturbed where the blastomyces fungus lives, microscopic spores are released in the air. Most people who breathe in the spores don't get sick, but it can cause severe infection in rare cases, according to the CDC. The fungus mainly lives in Midwestern, South-central and Southeastern states, especially in areas surrounding the Great Lakes and other fresh bodies of water. Wisconsin is believed to have the highest incidence of blastomycosis infections of any state, with an estimated 10 to 40 cases per 100,000 persons in some counties, according to the CDC.
Earlier this year, the fungus caused an outbreak at a Michigan paper mill that infected more than 100 people. Of those, at least 14 required hospitalization and one died. Symptoms of blastomycosis are similar to those of other infections and include coughing, fever and chest pain, though many people do not develop symptoms.