It is home to an alarming number of people stricken by a fungal organism called Penicillium marneffei. The infection, which takes advantage of the compromised immune system of AIDS patients, can kill. Once an obscure ailment, it is on the increase in Southeast Asia. The disease is characterized by papules, pus-filled bumps that resemble pimples but progress to hollow, bleeding lesions of dead tissue. It affects the face and scalp, but can spread to the shoulders and even the palate.
Victims suffer fever, diarrhea and weight loss in addition to the lesions.
Where the fungus originates is unclear. It is found in bamboo rats, which live in thickets in mountainous areas. The rodents breed during the rainy season, and researchers have noticed an increase in the incidence of P. marneffei infections during the monsoon months. But rats may not directly transmit the fungus. The organism has also been found in abandoned buildings and in bird and bat droppings, and may even dwell in bamboo itself.