This infection is treated with antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole, or fluconazole. Either oral or intravenous (directly in the vein) drugs are used, depending on the form and stage of the disease.
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
What happens depends on the form of blastomycosis and the individual's immune system. In immunosuppressed individuals, long-term treatment may be required to prevent symptoms from coming back.
Complications
- Abscesses (pockets of pus)
- Additional (secondary) skin infection caused by bacteria
- Complications related to medications (for instance, amphotericin B can have severely unpleasant side effects)
- Spontaneously draining nodules
Calling your health care provider
Some of the skin problems caused by blastomycosis can be similar to skin problems caused by other illnesses. Tell your doctor if you develop any worrisome skin problems.
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Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; 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)
