IDF Soldier Dies of Treatment-Resistant Fungus from Gaza, 10 More Infected

[limbicnuminousity]

18. This warrants attention

Though the article doesn't identify the fungal pathogen, there are at least two candidates that would have potential implications beyond Gaza.

One is Candida aureus, some strains of which are resistant to common anti-fungal medications. It can cause life-threatening complications and is on the uptick globally (yes, in North America too). It's often found in waste water and sewage contaminated soils like you'll find in an urban war zone. Or maybe ghettoized urban tenements. Or urban areas where the instruments of governance no longer function at a necessary threshold. Or homeless encampments without reliable access to public utilities.

The second would be Valley Fever/coccidioidomycosis. Its prevalence hasn't changed much. It appears to be commonly associated with contaminated soils. It was endemic to the American Southwest, but appears to be expanding into the American Southeast. The alarming possibility there is that Valley Fever can cause chronic conditions and reduce life expectancy by 5-10 years.

The odds for survival following infection by either agent are dramatically improved through prompt access to quality medical care. During wartime, soldiers are unlikely to prioritize medical care when it only starts out with a sniffle and there's a war going on. I genuinely worry about the long term effects of contagion for all of the people living in that part of the world.

I also worry about the US (and the rest of the industrialized world). Pestilence arises when we ignore the fact that people are living in subhuman conditions. Contagion spreads when insufficient resources are devoted to community health care. Priorities matter.