Histoplasmosis - chronic pulmonaryFrom our partner site on asthma, MyAsthmaCentral.com.
Chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis is arespiratory infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Alternative Names: Chronic cavitary histoplasmosis Causes, incidence, and risk factors: Histoplasma capsulatum is a fungus found in the soil of the central and eastern United States (especially Mississippi and Ohio river valleys), eastern Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. advertisement The infection occurs when a person breaths in the reproducing parts of the fungus, called spores. Those withhealthy immune systemsusually do not have symptoms, or only mild ones. This "acute"infection does not persist. However, the infection can linger in those with lung problems such as smokers with emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD).This condition is called "chronic" pulmonary histoplasmosis.The symptoms and chest x-ray findings of chronic pulmonary histoplasmosisare similar totuberculosis. Risk factors for chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis include:
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