BLASTOMYCOSIS
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Blastomycosis is a fungal infection
caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis. Although primarily an airborne
disease, farmers and gardeners may become infected from contact with
spores in the soil through cuts and scrapes. The fungus that causes
the disease is found in moist soil and wood in the southeastern
United States, the Mississippi River valley, southern Canada, and
Central America. Blastomycosis is also called Gilchrist's disease,
Chicago disease, or North American blastomycosis. Another South and
Central American disease, paracoccidioidomycosis, is sometimes
called South American blastomycosis, but despite the similar name,
this disease is substantially different from North American
blastomycosis. Canine blastomycosis, a common dog disease, is caused
by the same fungus that infects humans. However, people do not get
this disease from their dogs except only very rarely through dog
bites.
Blastomycosis is a rare disease infecting only about 4 in every
100,000 people. It is at least six times more common in men than in
women and tends to more often infect children and individuals in the
30–50 year old age group. People who have diabetes mellitus or who
are taking drugs that suppress the immune system (immunocompromised)
are more likely to develop blastomycosis. Although people with AIDS
can get blastomycosis because of their weakened immune system,
blastomycosis has not been one of the more common fungal infections
associated with AIDS. |
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