Fungal infection after diving???

[dirvin0500]

Has anyone heard of contracting a fungal infection off of an aluminum tank. Long story short...7 day cruise and had dives on 4 islands. the last island second dive starting feeling funny when I inhaled. Three months of severe bronchitis finally put me in the hospital and they can a camera and vacume into my bronchial tubes. They were able to grow a few different "things" from what was in there. They treated me with anti-fungal medicine and in about a month I was better.

 

[TSandM]

Anything is possible, but the environment inside a scuba tank is not a particularly inviting one for growing fungus. I'd be more suspicious of the regulator, or even of your cabin, where moisture and warmth are conducive to fungal growth. Another possibility would be airborne dust -- some of our more common pulmonary fungal infections in the US are carried that way.

I'm glad it got better. Fungal infections are sometimes difficult to cure.