How do humans get blastomycosis?

Blastomycosis is usually caused by inhaling airborne spores from contaminated soil into the lungs. Spores are more likely to be airborne after contaminated soil is disturbed by activities such as excavation, construction, digging, or wood clearing.

How common is blastomycosis in humans?

How common is blastomycosis? Overall, blastomycosis is uncommon. Most cases occur in the United States and Canada. In states where blastomycosis is reportable, yearly incidence rates are approximately 1 to 2 cases per 100,000 population.

Can humans get blastomycosis from dogs?

Pets, particularly dogs, can get blastomycosis, but it is not contagious between animals and people. The symptoms of blastomycosis in animals are similar to the symptoms in humans.

Can blastomycosis be fatal?

Blastomycosis is a potentially fatal fungal infection endemic to parts of North America.

Can blastomycosis be caused by mold?

Blastomyces lives in the environment as a mold that produces fungal spores. The spores are too small to see without a microscope. When people or animals breathe in the spores, they are at risk for developing blastomycosis. After the spores enter the lungs, the body temperature allows the spores to transform into yeast.

Dimorphic Fungi: Blastomycosis [Hot Topic]

Can blastomycosis be in my house?

The organism has been isolated from an inhabited yard and from a house being razed. Conclusions: There appears to be growing evidence that blastomycosis may be acquired at home, and that B. dermatitidis may be relatively persistent on certain properties.

What animals carry blastomycosis?

What does blastomycosis do to your body?

The fungus lives in most soil and decaying wood and leaves. Illness can occur two to 15 weeks after breathing in the fungal spores. Symptoms can include cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, and chest pain. The infection can spread to other parts of the body, such as the skin or bones.

In what part of the United States is blastomycosis endemic?

In the United States, the fungus mainly lives in the midwestern, south-central, and southeastern states, particularly in areas surrounding the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, the Great Lakes, and the Saint Lawrence River.

Where is Blasto most common?

Blastomycosis occurs most often in people living in Ontario, Manitoba, and the south-central, south-eastern, and the mid-western United States.

How can you protect yourself from blastomycosis?

Simple precautions include wearing work gloves, proper footwear, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and a disposable NIOSH N100 approved HEPA filter dust mask. The symptoms of blastomycosis can be similar to those of influenza or pneumonia.

How do they test for blastomycosis in humans?

Diagnosis and testing for Blastomycosis

A doctor will likely test for blastomycosis by taking a blood sample or a urine sample and sending it to a laboratory. Healthcare providers may do imaging tests such as chest x-rays or CT scans of your lungs.

Is blastomycosis curable?

How is blastomycosis treated? Most people will need antifungal treatment for blastomycosis. Most people with blastomycosis will need treatment with prescription antifungal medication. Itraconazole is a type of antifungal medication that is typically used to treat mild to moderate blastomycosis.

What is the mortality rate of blastomycosis?

Published case fatality in blastomycosis patients ranges between 4% and 78%.

What does blastomycosis look like on skin?

Papules, pustules, or nodules are most frequently found on exposed body areas. They may look like warts or ulcers. They are usually painless. They may vary from gray to violet in color.

Can blastomycosis lay dormant?

A person gets sick from blastomycosis by breathing in microscopic spores of a fungus called blastomyces. The spores lodge in the lungs, where they can react in a variety of ways. The spores can lay dormant for months. Sometimes the body's immune system kills them.

How do you get rid of fungus in your lungs?

Antifungal medications.

These drugs are the standard treatment for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The most effective treatment is a newer antifungal drug, voriconazole (Vfend). Amphotericin B is another option. All antifungal drugs can have serious side effects, including kidney and liver damage.

Can you get blastomycosis twice?

Relapse or recurrence of blastomycosis in patients is rare. Re-infection of a patient with blastomycosis has not been previously reported.

What is the incubation period for blastomycosis?

Blastomycosis is diagnosed slightly more often in the fall and early winter. This is likely due to exposure to the soil-borne fungus in the summer, and an incubation period of 1-3 months.

What color is blastomycosis?

Vary in color from gray to violet. May appear in the nose and mouth. Bleed easily and form ulcers.

Is blastomycosis infectious?

Blastomycosis is an infectious disease characterized by fever, chills, headaches, chest pain, weight loss, night sweats, cough, and/or difficulty breathing (dyspnea). Some affected individuals do not experience these symptoms although they are actively infected (asymptomatic).

How can I protect my dog from blastomycosis?

The best way to prevent blastomycosis is to avoid bringing your pet to places where exposure is the greatest, such as streams and lakes. If you do reside near places where exposure is high, it is recommended to avoid dark, dense areas where the fungus will thrive.

Where is blastomycosis found in Wisconsin?

The Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH) and St. Croix County Public Health are investigating a small number of cases of Blastomycosis in humans and animals (canine) linked to the Willow River area near Boardman, Wisconsin.

Which of the following is responsible for causing blastomycosis?

Blastomycosis is a fungal infection caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis.

What are symptoms of fungus in the body?