A Menace of the Jungle

Beware Of “ Puff

Fungus"

Letter to the Editor IREAD with interest the article on Japanese River fever on page 3 of November “PIM.”

It may not be generally known that the scrub tick referred to often carries on its body or leg-segments, the spores of dangerous forms of “Puff-fungus” (varie ties of the genus Trichophton).

These spores are the cause of several forms of ulcerative infection. Ringworm, and Tinea, Sporothrix, Bush-fever, Thrush, Favus, or scalp-disease, and others, are quite common.

The spores are emitted from these tiny “Puff-ball-fungi” in jets, like wisps of smoke, and, for the moment, are visible to the naked eye. After being carried up into the air, the spores are no longer visible, being extremely minute (even under a lens). The spores may be col lected on a piece of cloth damped with milk, for the purpose of carrying out experiments, but great care should be exercised that the spores are not inhaled.

The direct inhalation of the minute spores of this poisonous fungus may cause fever, delirium, and prostration.

But with regard to the direct bite of an insect, such as the tick, ant, and possibly, the sandfly, the fungus spores, if present, find direct access, which may mean rapid infection.

Rodents, such as rats, sometimes con tact these fungi in the scrub, and develop skin eruptions, weakness, and death.

Mosses and lichens often harbor the spores of these fungi, as a slight rub of the back of the hand may prove. After contact with the spores an intense itch ing is felt. This is followed by a rash, which may become very painful, espe cially if rubbed.

Treatment is simple. While the pre sence of ticks usually requires kerosene or arsenical ointment, hot soapy water (as hot as can be borne) will be found quite effective, even after a rash has appeared on the skin. Treatment should be followed by the application of some weak disinfectant (sol. of permanganate of potash, or one of the new sulfa-drugs) dusted over the infected part. Sulfathia zole has been used by this writer in ex periments with this infection, with com plete success.

In past years, I have often been troubled by ticks, both in Queensland and in New Guinea. But it was a Sepik River boy who drew my attention to the danger of the fungus.

I am, etc.,

Charles Reed.

Apia, W. Samoa.