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Blastomycosis in Humans

Blastomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the blastomyces dermatitidis fungus found most frequently in the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and other major river valleys of North America. This fungus thrives in decaying vegetation and wet soil.

People with compromised immune systems, and campers, farmers, and hunters who spend significant time in outdoor environments where there is a growth of the fungus are most likely to become infected.

  1. Frequency

    • While blastomycosis is a serious disease, it's not a frequent one. The University of Maryland Medical Center estimates that just 1 or 2 people in every 100,000 living in parts of North America where the fungus thrives ever contract the disease. Even fewer people in other parts of the country are affected.

    Symptoms

    • People don't experience symptoms for between 3 and 15 weeks after becoming infected. Blastomycosis limited to the lungs may be asymptomatic, but this fungus seldom stays in the lungs if it's not treated.

      Half of those infected, says the CDC, will experience symptoms. They include respiratory difficulty, coughing, excessive sweating, chills, fever, and joint pain. Serious infection can produce skin and bone lesions and urinary tract, genital, and prostate complications.

      If blastomycosis reaches the nervous system, it may cause meningitis with headaches and confusion.

    Diagnosis

    • Your doctor will biopsy your infected tissue or take a body fluid sample to examine for the blastomycosis sample. However, blood tests for blastomycosis aren't reliable.

      Some doctors may use chest X-rays to diagnose the disease.

    Treatment

    • While infections confined to the lungs may not require treatment, blastomycosis that spreads to other tissues can cause serious or fatal complications. Antifungal medications are the standard blastomycosis treatment. They include the oral medications ketoconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole, and for stubborn infections, the IV medication Amphortericin B.

      Each of these medications, however, may have serious side effects. Amphortericin B is toxic to the kidneys, and the oral medications can cause liver damage and gastrointestinal problems.

    Prognosis

    • People with mild blastomycosis lung infections or skin lesions have an excellent chance of recovering completely with treatment.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The CDC says that people living in areas where the blastomycosis fungus is common may not be able to avoid exposure. The best way to do so is to stay away from locations with wet soil and decaying vegetation.

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