Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- 170 Candidiasis
- 171 Aspergillosis
- 172 Zygomycosis (Mucormycosis)
- 173 Sporotrichosis
- 174 Cryptococcus
- 175 Histoplasmosis
- 176 Blastomycosis
- 177 Coccidioidomycosis
- 178 Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- 179 Miscellaneous Fungi and Algae
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
176 - Blastomycosis
from Part XXII - Specific Organisms – Fungi
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- 170 Candidiasis
- 171 Aspergillosis
- 172 Zygomycosis (Mucormycosis)
- 173 Sporotrichosis
- 174 Cryptococcus
- 175 Histoplasmosis
- 176 Blastomycosis
- 177 Coccidioidomycosis
- 178 Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- 179 Miscellaneous Fungi and Algae
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
Summary
Blastomycosis is a systemic pyogranulomatous disease caused by the thermally dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. The disease is endemic to parts of the midwestern and southcentral United States and Canada, although blastomycosis has been reported worldwide, including isolated reports from Africa and Central and South America. Within the United States and Canada, the disease is concentrated in areas along the Mississippi and Ohio River basins and the Great Lakes. In endemic areas, small point-source outbreaks of blastomycosis have been associated with recreational and occupational activities occurring in wooded areas along waterways. Current evidence indicates that B. dermatitidis exists in warm moist soil enriched by organic debris, including decaying vegetation and wood.
Most infections with B. dermatitidis occur through inhalation of aerosolized spores, although infection through direct inoculation has been reported rarely. Primary infections are usually asymptomatic or may result in a self-limited flulike illness. Hematogenous dissemination of organisms from the lung can result in extrapulmonary manifestations.
Blastomycosis is usually recognized as a chronic, indolent systemic fungal infection associated with various pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations. Pulmonary blastomycosis usually manifests as a chronic pneumonia syndrome characterized by productive cough, chest pain, hemoptysis, weight loss, and low-grade fever. There are no distinguishing radiologic features of pulmonary blastomycosis, although one or more fibronodular infiltrates or mass lesions with or without cavitation are common, often mimicking other granulomatous diseases or bronchogenic carcinoma. Hilar adenopathy and pleural effusions are uncommon. Rarely, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates consistent with adult respiratory distress syndrome may occur secondary to blastomycosis.
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- Information
- Clinical Infectious Disease , pp. 1215 - 1218Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008