Blastomycosis- Causes, symptom and treatment

What is Blastomycosis?

Blastomycosis, or "blasto" for short, is a fungal disease caused by inhaling a fungal organism called Blastomyces dermatitis, which exists as a matrix in the soil or at room temperatures and as yeast in tissues or at body temperatures. 

In this article, we will get to know what is Blastomycosis in Humans, what causes it, and the treatment available for Blastomycosis

It founds in sandy, acid soils near river valleys or other waterways & in wood too.

It is known as a human disease because it exists primarily in humans & dogs but has also been described in horses, cats, and even sea lions.

Blastomycosis fungus is a formidable foe, which looks like white mold, mature in damp places, in woody areas, and rotting stumps. 

Rainy seasons are the ideal conditions for this fungus to take growth. It is a commonly misdiagnosed fungal disease of mammals that affecting the entire body. It is a great masquerader and can be mistaken for cancer, viral infections, Lyme Disease, and other systemic fungal diseases such as Valley Fever.

Causes

The disease usually affects people with weak immune systems, such as those persons with HIV or organ transplant recipients. 

Men are more likely to be influenced than women. The infection is seen in 1-2 out of every 100,000 persons in the region where the fungus most repeatedly exist.

Infection occurs by inhaling it from its natural soil habitat.

Once inhaled in the lungs, they increase the number. Once inhaled in the lungs, they increase the number and may circulate through the blood and lymphatics to other organs, also to the skin, bone, genitourinary tract & brain.

 The brooding period is 30 to 100 days, although infection can be asymptomatic.

Lung infection may show no symptoms, but when the infection spreads, skin rashes or bone disease patches may appear and the bladder, kidney, prostate, and testes may be affected.

Symptoms

The most common affected areas of the body by blastomycosis when it spreads are skin, genitourinary tract & bones. Painful swelling in the bones may also develop. 

Some men may experience painful swelling of the epididymis (part of the spermatic duct system, that lies on the posterior aspect of each testicle).

There are a lot of symptoms that occurs in combination with this disease are:

• Cough disorder.
• Difficulty in breathing.
• Bloody mucus.
• Malaise.
• Sweating.
• Fever.
• Fatigue.
• Pain in chest.
• Patches on skin.
• Pain in joint.
• General discomfort.
• Excess weight loss.
• Joint stiffness.
• Muscle stiffness.
• Rash.
• Skin lesions.

Treatments

Itraconazole can be given orally as the remedy of choice for most forms of the disease. beneficial rates are high, and the treatment for more than a period of months is generally well permitted.

Amphotericin B is very toxic and is generally reserved for critically ill patients and those with central nervous system symptoms.

Ketoconazole can be given orally two times a day has been effective against blastomycosis. 

When using singly ketoconazole has a lower cure rate than amphotericin, but when using together, the two drugs work effectively.