Most cases of histoplasmosis clear up without specific treatment. Patients are advised to rest and take medication to control fever.

If you are sick for more than 1 month or are having breathing problems, your doctor may prescribe medication. Drugs used to treat this condition include itraconazole and amphotericin B.

When histoplasmosis infection is severe or gets worse, the illness may last for 1 to 6 months. Even then, it is rarely fatal.

It can be a serious illness in people with weak immune systems, such as those who:

• Have AIDS
• Have had bone marrow or solid organ transplants
• Take medications to suppress their immune system

Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis can get worse over time, or can become chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis (which doesn't go away).

Histoplasmosis can spread to other organs through the bloodstream (dissemination). This is usually seen in infants, young children, and patients with a suppressed immune system.

Call your health care provider if:

• You have symptoms of histoplasmosis, especially if you have a weakened immune system or have been recently exposed to bird or bat droppings
• You are being treated for histoplasmosis and develop new symptoms

Images

Acute histoplasmosis

Fungus

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Histoplasmosis Prevention

Review Date: 05/25/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)