Two Upstate New York Men Die Inhaling ‘Bat Poop’ Found In Weed

Two Men in Upstate Die Using Bat Poop as Fertilizer

In one of the more strange and alarming stories to close out an already bizarre 2024, reports say that two men in Upstate New York died from a rare lung disease after smoking marijuana that contained bat poop, which the men used as fertilizer.

The unidentified men from Rochester, ages 64 and 59, died from pneumonia they contracted from bat feces, also known as "guano," earlier this month, according to the Open Forum for Infectious Diseases. 

What is Guano?

Guano is a naturally occurring substance made up of the excrement of birds and bats and used as a highly effective, albeit dangerous, fertilizer.

The New York Post reports that their deaths were not connected, but research suggests that more and more people are using this fertilization method to produce marijuana since the drug has been legalized.

Why is Bat Poop Potentially Deadly?

The New York Post reported that "during fertilization, the men breathed in harmful fungus spores and subsequently developed a condition called histoplasmosis — a lung infection."

According to a study published in Open Forum Infectious Disease, using bat guano or bird droppings as fertilizer can contribute to the rare fungal disease that infects the lungs.

Despite the dangers, the source states that "numerous media articles promote bat guano as a “natural superfood” for cannabis plants because of its richness in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic compounds."

Where Did They Get Bat Poop?

According to the source, the 59-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital after six weeks of suffering from breathing troubles, a sore throat, and weight loss before ultimately losing his life.

The 64-year-old had wounds on his chest and pancreas as a result of the fungal infection, and after months of treatment, he ultimately died of complications, the source stated.

The Open Forum report says that the 59-year-old man had purchased from an online store while the 64-year-old harvested the guano in his attic, where he had a heavy bat infestation, to fertilize his plants.

Experts recommend testing commercial biofertilizers containing bat guano for bacteria before they hit the market.