The Reno County Health Department has seen a few Histoplasmosis cases this year already, so they wanted to send out information about the infection and how to prevent it.

This is especially important due to the current season, where many individuals are landscaping and the weather is dry and windy.

What is histoplasmosis? Histoplasmosis is fungal infection that occurs when breathing in spores from a fungus called Histoplasma. This fungus is found in the environment, especially in soil that has a large amount of bird or bat droppings.

The CDC says most people who breathe in the spores don’t get sick, but those who do may have a fever, cough, and fatigue. Many people who get sick will get better on their own without medication. In some people, such as those who have weakened immune systems, the infection can become severe, especially if it spreads from the lungs to other organs.

Those most at risk, like people with weakened immune systems, those over 55 years of age and infants can protect themselves by the following steps.

1. Avoid certain activities. Avoid projects and activities that can expose you to it, such as cleaning barns or raising birds, especially if you’re at higher risk for disease.

2. Water down the area before you work. Before you dig into soil that can contain the fungus, soak it with water. This can help prevent the spores from being released into the air.

3. Wear a mask. Consider wearing a mask, such as an N95, while participating in high-risk activities.

Histoplasmosis can’t spread from the lungs of an infected person to anyone else.

Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill allowing small craft breweries to directly sell to retailers, restaurants and bars.

Kansas, like most other states, uses a three-tier system for alcohol sales where brewers sold to wholesalers, who then sold the product to vendors. Microbrewers said it can sometimes be challenging to get their product in local liquor stores or restaurants through wholesalers.

It also led to smaller issues for brewers, like having to sell their own product to themselves at retail prices in order to have vendor booths at local events.

“Local was being shunned or sidelined to promote and push ‘big label brands,’” said Sean Wilcott, a Holton-based brewer who helped organize brewers for the bill. “Because distributors are private businesses, even though we are under contract for them to sell our products, distributors have the legal right to choose what products they carry and promote, so they are working within the realm of the law by limiting our product exposure and promoting the big label brands.”

The legislation was supported by several small breweries, restaurants, local chambers of commerce and the libertarian-leaning advocacy group Americans for Prosperity Kansas.

On the opposite end, statewide wholesalers and retailer associations argued against the bill, arguing that microbreweries are more popular than ever and that challenging the three-tier system could ultimately harm the brewers the legislation seeks to protect.

“Large international brewers would control the market without the three-tier system, and the critical, independent distribution tier and small craft brewers would be completely locked out,” said Jason Watkins, executive director of the Kansas Beer Wholesalers Association.

Distributors and retailers blamed recent slumps that brewers blamed on unfair representation on an industry-wide downturn in beer consumption, and that craft brewers already have exceptions from the three-tier system that allow them to sell directly to the public.

Historically, Kansas has been slower to embrace alcohol as other states. Kansas maintained the illegality of alcohol for almost 20 years after the end of prohibition in 1929. It wouldn’t be until 1987 that Kansas allowed on-premise alcohol sales in bars and restaurants.

As reported in the Topeka Capital Journal