ESCANABA, MI— The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is at the Billerud paper mill in Escanaba, testing employees and conducting environmental sampling in the midst of a blastomycosis outbreak.
Public Health Delta and Menominee Counties has identified a total of 104 confirmed and probable cases. One person has died.
NIOSH is meeting with employees and offering them voluntary urine antigen tests and a work and health questionnaire. Officials say the questionnaire will help them better understand what factors increase workers’ risk for infection.
Investigators are also collecting indoor dust, soil, and organic material like wood chips. They’ll test the samples for the fungus that causes blastomycosis.
Fungal disease experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are assisting NIOSH, along with state and local health agencies.
