Fungal Disease of the Lung

Fungal disease of the lungs can cause serious problems in the respiratory system if not treated. Medication can eliminate many of these infections. See your doctor if you think you may have a fungal infection.

Types

• There are three major types of fungal infections of the lung, according to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Network (CTS). These infections are blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, and coccidiomycosis.

Cause

• These diseases are caused by infectious spores inhaled through the lungs, according to CTS.

Symptoms

• Blastomycosis and histoplasmosis cause flu-like symptoms in some cases, but can be entirely asymptomatic, according to CTS. Coccidiomycosis patients are often asymptomatic as well, according to the site.

Signs

• Histoplasmosis causes intracellular yeast to grow in the lungs. Blastomycosis manifests as a round, thick, single cell of yeast in the lungs, while coccidiomycosis shows up as a thick wall of endospores in the lungs.

Treatment

• The antibiotic Amphotericin B is the primary treatment for these fungal diseases. If the antibiotic is ineffective, surgery may be needed to remove the fungus.