Histoplasmosis (fungal infection of the lungs): Symptoms, causes and treatment (1)

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Histoplasmosis
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Histoplasmosis

• Histoplasmosis is a disease caused when airborne
  spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum are
  inhaled into the lungs. This infectious disease
  primarily affects the lungs sometimes can
  spread to other parts of the body. This kind of
  the disease is known as disseminated
  histoplasmosis, and it can be critical if
  untreated. Histoplasma capsulatum is a
  microscopic dimorhous fungus that grows stronger
  in moderate temperatures and moist environments
  and appears as yeast at body temperature in
  mammals. Histoplasma capsulatum is commonly found
  throughout the world in river valleys and soil
  where chickens, pigeons, starlings, blackbirds,
  and bat droppings accumulate, is released into
  the air when soil is disturbed by ploughing
  fields, sweeping chicken coops, or digging
  holes.

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Histoplasmosis
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• The soil in indigenous region gives an acidic
  damp environment with high organic content that
  is good for mycelia production. Highly
  contaminated soil is found near areas inherent by
  bats and birds. Birds cannot be infected by the
  fungus because of their high body temperatures,
  but they do carry it on their feathers. But bats
  can become infected because they have a lower
  body temperature than birds, and they spread the
  fungus through droppings.

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How histoplasmosis is caused?

• Histoplasmosis is produced by a microscopic
  dimorhous fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. The
  fungus produces spores that can be inhaled when
  they get into the air. Spores are hardy forms of
  the fungus that can live in the environment for a
  long time. The spores are extremely light and can
  be float into the air when dirt or other polluted
  material is disturbed .There are large number of
  cases appears in farmers, landscapers,
  construction workers the people who are living
  near construction sites and spelunkers.Histoplas
  mosis is generally not harmful in primary stages
  and so mild that it produces no apparent sign
  symptoms. Any sign that might appear are
  generally just like to those from a common cold.
  If any individual had histoplasmosis symptoms, he
  /she might dismiss them as those from a flu or
  cold, since the body's immune system generally
  overcomes the infection in some days without
  treatment.

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Symptoms

• Histoplasmosis can affect generally any region
  of the body such as eyes, liver, bone marrow,
  skin, adrenal glands intestinal tract. The
  condition of the disease show which organs are
  affected. Individuals with this kind of the
  disease may have anaemia, pneumonia,
  pericarditis, meningitis, adrenal insufficiency
  mouth ulcers, tongue or intestinal tract.
  Histoplasmosis, in even mild conditions can later
  produce a critical eye disease known as ocular
  histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS), a leading cause of
  vision loss. Symptoms of this disease include
• Discomfort feeling
• Bloody spitting
• Weakness
• Headache
• Muscles pain

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Symptoms
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• Joint pain
• Fever
• Chills
• Inflammation of the sac around the heart
• Gastrointestinal tract
• Chest pain
• Dry or non-productive cough
• Breathing uneasiness
• Weight loss
• Mouth sores
• Bulging of liver and spleen
• Skin rashes
• Vision loss
• Tuberculosis

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Treatments

• Treatment of histoplasmosis depends on the
  complexity of the disease. Anti fungal treatments
  are taken to cure the complex cases of acute
  histoplasmosis and all cases of chronic and
  disseminated disorders. Mild diseases generally
  cure without treatment may require only
  symptomatic measures.Efficacious treatments are
  available in the market for even the most complex
  forms of histoplasmosis. Amphotericin
  B or itraconazole may be used to treat the
  disease histoplasmosis. Patients with acquired
  immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may need
  treatment with an anti fungal medication for
  their long life to prevent further attacks of
  histoplasmosis.

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