Michigan man dies from rare fungal infection
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A northern Michigan man has died after contracting a rare fungal infection.
News 8’s media partners at UpNorthLive confirm that Ian Pritchard has passed away weeks after being diagnosed with a blastomycosis infection. The 29-year-old Pritchard was a chef in Harbor Springs before he died. He was first hospitalized in November and eventually transferred to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
In an update to Pritchard’s GoFundMe page, the organizer stated that he passed away Saturday evening.
“(Ian’s father Ron Pritchard) told me it was Ian’s decision to come off of life support. He was quite alert today and indicated to them that he was ready to go. The young man has been in the hospital since the week before Thanksgiving,” the update read. “The blastomycosis fungal infection ravaged Ian’s lungs beyond repair. Ian must have felt that he was not going to come out of it and his strength to go on was depleted. So, Ron, Linda and Ian’s sister Megan told him that it was OK to let go. They did not want to be selfish and hang onto him if he was ready to go.”
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UpNorthLive had previously reported that the hope was Pritchard’s body could clear the infection so he could receive a lung transplant.
The fungus that causes blastomycosis can be found just about anywhere. It grows in moist soil and decomposing matter. People are infected by directly breathing the fungal sports, which means it cannot be spread from person to person. However, even with exposure, blastomycosis infections are rare.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the best way to avoid infection is to take precautions when near moist soil, disturbed soil or participating in activities in heavily wooded areas.
The CDC also recommends wearing personal protective equipment, like face masks, eye protection and gloves when “engaging in higher risk activities,” waiting to move leaf litter until it is dry and avoiding moving or disturbing soil on windy days.
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Pritchard’s death comes less than a year after a major blastomycosis outbreak was tracked back to a sawmill in Escanaba. In all, 118 people were infected. Only one person died from their infection.
The GoFundMe account has helped Pritchard’s parents make trips to and from Detroit to be with their son. The page organizer said any leftover funds would be used toward funeral expenses. As of Monday morning, the fundraiser had raised more than $18,000.
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