Fungal meningitis spreads in Pacific Northwest

Rare infection slowly making its way down Washington-Oregon coast

WASHINGTON — A fungus that causes meningitis has sickened 19 people, four of whom died, in Oregon and Washington over the past four years, researchers report at a meeting of microbiologists and infectious disease experts.

The new findings indicate that the culprit, a yeast-like fungus called Cryptococcus gattii, is spreading gradually down the West Coast.