Histoplasmosis

Question 1

Is Histoplasmosis a bacteria, virus or fungi?

Answer 1

Fungi

Question 2

Where does histoplasmosis come from?

Answer 2

Grows as a yeast at body temperature in mammals. Acidic soil provides growth media for this fungi and can also be infected/spread by bats

Question 3

What areas are endemic to histoplasmosis

Answer 3

Mississippi River Valley, Ohio, Missouri

Question 4

Healthy people are usually asymptomatic to histoplasmosis. Knowing this, what MAY be present in a CXR to help diagnose this disease?

Answer 4

chronic granulomas or calcified nodes/nodules

Question 5

What population is more at risk for histoplasmosis and what type of infections are they more susceptible to?

Answer 5

Immunocompromised.
Pulmonary infections that may spread to the rest of the body affecting the CNS, liver, spleen, rheumatologic, ocular and hematologic systems

Question 6

If a patient is symptomatic, what would the initial symptoms be?

Answer 6

Flu- like
pulmonary symptoms (coughing/pleuritic pain/fever)

Question 7

What are other symptoms of Histoplasmosis?

Answer 7

joint pain, mouth sores, painful nodules on skin on lower legs (erythema nodosum)

Question 8

If histoplasmosis becomes chronic, what are some continued symptoms?

Answer 8

chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, fever, sweating

Question 9

What are some rare symptoms of severe histoplasmosis?

Answer 9

inflammation in pericardium, meninges, high fever

Question 10

What would we use to diagnose histoplasmosis?

Answer 10

CXR, chest CT, bronchoscopy, biopsy, blood/urine test (antigens/antibiodies), spinal tap if infection of CSF is suspected

Question 11

Is histoplasmosis self limiting?

Answer 11

Yes

Question 12

If symptoms persist longer than 1 month, how do we treat histoplasmosis?

Answer 12

Anti fungal drugs (amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole)