Two men from Rochester, New York, have died after contracting a rare fungal infection caused by using bat guano as fertilizer for their marijuana plants.
The 59-year-old man had a history of emphysema and heavy tobacco and marijuana use. He was hospitalized with severe weight loss, a sore throat, and difficulty swallowing. Doctors initially suspected carcinoma, but a biopsy revealed a histoplasmosis infection, a type of pneumonia caused by breathing in spores of Histoplasma capsulatum.
The 64-year-old man also had a history of tobacco and marijuana use and had undergone bypass surgery. He was hospitalized with hypo-osmolar hyponatremia, difficulty eating, and severe weight loss. He told doctors that his attic was infested with bats and that he had used their guano to fertilize his marijuana plants. He also purchased guano online and relayed his plan to the 59-year-old man.
It is believed that the men inhaled harmful fungus spores released by the guano during the fertilization process, leading to their pneumonia. The 59-year-old man was treated with anti-fungal medication but died two weeks later due to extreme difficulty breathing. The 64-year-old man was released from the hospital but returned a month later and died shortly thereafter.
The use of bat guano as fertilizer for marijuana plants is not recommended, as it can pose serious health risks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against using guano as fertilizer due to the risk of histoplasmosis infection.
