Histoplasmosis

A type of fungal infection, histoplasmosis stems from an infection with Histoplasma capsulatum, a dimorphic fungus. Histoplasma capsulatum causes histoplasmosis in the human body because the fungus grows as yeast when it inhabits an environment of 37° C.^{1 2}

Fast Facts

1. Alternate names: Darling's disease, Ohio River Valley fever
2. Infection type: Fungal³
3. Caused by Histoplasma capsulatum⁴
4. Starts as a respiratory infection³
5. Sometimes missed with histoplasmosis tests³
6. Common in AIDS patients⁵
7. Primarily affects the lungs⁴
8. Symptoms show 3-17 days after exposure⁵
9. More often seen in men than women¹
10. Can be fatal without treatment⁶

United States Statistics and Information

• Considered an endemic infection⁶
• Infects around 250,000 people each year¹
• Occurs in less than 5% of population¹

Symptoms

• Persistent fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue

FDA Warning

The Food and Drug Administration in the United States has issued a warning in regards to reports of histoplasmosis in patients being treated with tumor necrosis factor blockers, such as Enbrel, Cimzia, Remicade and Humira.³

Disclaimer

The content on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact a physician for information on histoplasmosis.

Related Pages on Mahalo

Tumor Necrosis Factor Blocker | Enbrel | Alzheimer's Disease | Dementia | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Wyeth Pharmaceuticals | Cimzia | Humira | Remicade | Histoplasma Capsulatum

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