Blastomycosis is a serious disease that causes a fungal infection of the skin and lungs. Blastomycosis occurs when those affected inhale the spores of the pathogen or absorb them through the skin. Once the pathogen has entered the body, it spreads and infects the entire organism.
Below you will find further information and selected blastomycosis specialists.
Blastomycosis is a systemic disease that affects the entire body system and not just individual parts.
Experts basically distinguish between
All these diseases are similar, but are caused by different pathogens. They also have different forms of progression:
Blastomycosis is an infection caused by inhaling the spores of the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis @ Dr_Microbe /AdobeStockBlastomycosis is a rare disease that only occurs in limited areas (endemic). In endemic areas, there are one to two cases of blastomycosis per 100,000 inhabitants per year.
Men and women are equally affected by North American blastomycosis.
South American blastomycosis occurs mainly in men over the age of thirty. Older people, children and women are rarely affected. Around a quarter of those affected die from South American blastomycosis.
The European form of blastomycosis is very rare. Europe is not one of the main areas of distribution of the pathogen.
Blastomycosis occurs mainly in North and South America. However, they also occur in countries such as South Africa, Tanzania, India, Israel and Saudi Arabia. North American blastomycosis occurs mainly in the south of the USA or in southern Canada.
The areas around the Mississippi and the Great Lakes such as Lake Michigan are particularly affected . In these areas, animals such as dogs are particularly affected by the disease. Transmission from animals to humans is not possible.
Blastomycosis, which occurs in South America, is mainly found in Brazil. Endemic areas are regions with a warm climate and high humidity, as the fungi can spread particularly well there.
You can contract blastomycosis if you come into contact with the fungal spores. Infection usually occurs when you inhale dust or small soil particles that contain spores of the fungus. Human-to-human or animal-to-human transmission is never responsible.
You can become infected if you have injuries to your hands or feet and have contact with contaminated soil. Fungal spores with blastomycosis can enter the body through cracks in the skin and cause blastomycosis.
There they multiply and spread. The incubation period varies greatly, with the first symptoms usually appearing after a month and a half.
The fungal spores mainly attack the lung tissue and the skin. If the spores spread in the lungs of the affected person, pneumonia with fever occurs. Blastomycosis involving the lungs usually leads to coughing and shortness of breath as well as flu-like or tuberculosis-like symptoms.
In severe cases, bones can also be affected by the infection.
Experts generally differentiate between the pulmonary and cutaneous forms of the disease.
Pulmonary blastomycosis causes the symptoms described above. In cutaneous blastomycosis, the symptoms mainly appear on the skin. Discoloration of the skin and the formation of ulcers occur .
Blastomycosis usually manifests primarily in the lungs or in the skin @ Dr_Microbe /AdobeStock
Various non-specific symptoms can occur as part of blastomycosis.
These include
Blastomycosis is a severe, systemic disease. This means that the entire body is affected by the fungal infection. If doctors can quickly make the correct diagnosis and initiate treatment, blastomycosis is usually easily treatable.
However, as people in rural areas of Latin America are particularly affected, severe cases can occur due to the lack of healthcare.
The fungus that causes the disease spreads throughout the entire organism and damages the internal organs, bones and nervous system.
The severe forms of blastomycosis often lead to death. However, if blastomycosis is treated correctly, it is very likely that the affected person will recover.
As blastomycosis is a potentially fatal disease, rapid diagnosis is very important. Only then can targeted treatment be given.
To diagnose blastomycosis, the doctor first takes a detailed medical history. This is important in order to determine which symptoms the patient is suffering from and how long they have persisted. The patient interview provides the doctor with information as to whether blastomycosis is actually present.
The doctor will then carry out a physical examination. As blastomycosis is often accompanied by lung involvement, the doctor will listen to the patient's lungs.
In the case of pulmonary blastomycosis, the doctor may detect abnormal breathing noises, which also occur in the case of pneumonia.
In the case of cutaneous blastomycosis, the doctor will find skin lesions, which are mainly located on the extremities and face. Skin lesions can be ulcers or warts. In severe cases, the doctor may also notice damage to the patient's bones or joints.
In men, inflammation of the prostate is possible in the course of blastomycosis.
After the physical examination, the doctor can already make a suspected diagnosis, which must be confirmed by further examinations.
The doctor will only make the final diagnosis if the microscopic saliva or skin test tests positive for blastomycosis. In this case, the fungal cells are visible under the microscope.
As blastomycosis is an extremely rare disease with non-specific symptoms, self-diagnosis is very difficult.
If you suspect that you have blastomycosis based on the symptoms, you should report this suspicion to your doctor. However, you should leave the final diagnosis to a specialist.
The symptoms of blastomycosis also occur in many other diseases(pneumonia, flu-like infections, skin diseases, other fungal infections). It is therefore necessary to determine the pathogen.
Treatment of blastomycosis should begin immediately after diagnosis. Otherwise there is a risk that the spores will spread throughout the entire organism and lead to sepsis with multi-organ failure.
This complication is usually no longer treatable and leads to death. In rare cases, doctors have to surgically remove ulcers and lesions.
As blastomycosis affects the entire body, local therapy is not effective.
If a patient is diagnosed with blastomycosis, the attending physician prescribes an antifungal drug. This is a medication that is effective against fungal infections.
Drugs such as itraconazole or amphotericin B are usually used. Drug therapy for blastomycosis must be carried out over a longer period of time. A treatment period of three to six months is generally recommended. It is particularly important to note that the patient must continue to take the medication even after all symptoms have healed.
There are no specific measures that help to prevent blastomycosis. To date, there are also no vaccinations or prophylactic medications. Nevertheless, there are some measures you can take to reduce the risk.
Find out all you can about endemic areas before you travel abroad: Before you embark on a trip to endangered areas, you should find out exactly which regions are affected. This is particularly important if you are traveling to rural areas in South America. If you know about the dangers before you travel, you can reduce the risk by taking safety measures.
Ensure adequate protection in endemic areas: If you are in an endemic area, it makes sense to take certain protective measures. For example, if you have injuries to your hands, do not work with potentially contaminated soil. In this case, you should wear protective clothing and a breathing mask.
Acquire knowledge about this disease: Learn everything you need to know about blastomycosis. This knowledge will help you to protect yourself and take the right steps quickly if you fall ill.
Blastomycosis is a serious disease. If left untreated, it often leads to death. Blastomycosis can be treated well by making the correct diagnosis and initiating treatment with antimycotics.
