Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by fungal spores Histoplasma capsulatum. A person can suffer from histoplasmosis when they accidentally inhale air contaminated with fungal spores. However, histoplasmosis is not transmitted from person to person.
A person can be infected with histoplasmosis more than once. However, in patients who develop histoplasmosis for the second time, the symptoms will not be as severe as when it occurred the first time.
Histoplasmosis generally causes no symptoms. But in children and people with weak immune systems, histoplasmosis can affect the function of various organs, including the function of the central nervous system, which is usually called disseminated histoplasmosis. This condition can be fatal if not treated immediately.
Causes of Histoplasmosis
Histoplasma capsulatum live and grow in soil, especially contaminated with bat and poultry droppings. Therefore, this fungus is easy to find in caves, gardens, and chicken and bird coops.
Fungal spores histoplasm those on the ground can be blown away by the wind and carried in the air. A person can get histoplasmosis when the spores of the fungus are accidentally inhaled and enter the respiratory system.
Histoplasmosis Risk Factors
Histoplasmosis can happen to anyone. However, people with the following professions are more at risk of exposure to fungal spores that cause histoplasmosis:
- Pest control officer
- Farmers and ranchers
- Gardener
- Construction worker
- cave explorer
Histoplasmosis is also at risk of causing severe symptoms in children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, for example due to:
- Suffering from HIV/AIDS
- Undergoing chemotherapy
- Taking corticosteroids or drugs that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants).
GHistoplasmosis symptoms
In most cases, histoplasmosis infection does not cause any symptoms. Symptoms generally only appear if the inhaled fungal spores are quite large. In people who experience symptoms, histoplasmosis symptoms usually appear 3–17 days after infection. These symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Shivering
- dry cough
- Muscle ache
- Joint pain
- Chest pain
- Hard to breathe
- Headache
In people who have a history of lung disease, such as emphysema, histoplasmosis can be long-lasting (chronic). Symptoms of chronic histoplasmosis are similar to the symptoms of tuberculosis (tuberculosis), namely coughing up blood, excessive sweating, and weight loss.
When to go to the doctor
Immediately see a doctor if you experience the above symptoms, especially if your immune system is weak and has a profession as mentioned above. If not treated quickly, histoplasmosis can cause serious complications and be fatal.
DHistoplasmosis diagnosis
The doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms and work environment, as well as whether before the symptoms appeared the patient was exposed to bird or bat droppings. The doctor will then perform a physical examination and follow-up examinations, such as:
- Examination of blood and urine samples
- Sputum, urine and blood cultures
- Tissue sampling (biopsy) from the lungs, liver, skin, or bone marrow
- Lung scan with X-ray or CT scan
PHistoplasmosis treatment
Patients with mild histoplasmosis usually do not require special treatment. In most cases, histoplasmosis symptoms will go away on their own within a few weeks or months. However, in severe cases, the symptoms will last longer, especially if the infection gets worse.
In patients who have severe symptoms, chronic histoplasmosis, or disseminated histoplasmosis, the doctor will prescribe antifungal drugs, such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, or amphotericin B.
Antifungal drugs are given in the form of tablets or injections, and drugs can be given for up to 2 years or more, depending on the severity of histoplasmosis.
KHistoplasmosis complications
Histoplasmosis can cause a number of serious complications, especially in children and people with weakened immune systems. These complications include:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is a condition when the air sacs in the lungs that should contain oxygen are actually filled with fluid
- Damage to the adrenal glands, which are glands that function to produce hormones that regulate the body's metabolism
- Pericarditis, which is inflammation of the lining of the heart (pericardium)
- Meningitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the brain
PHistoplasmosis prevention
Histoplasmosis is difficult to prevent, especially if you live or work in an area prone to infection with the fungal spores that cause histoplasmosis. However, you can reduce your risk of getting histoplasmosis by doing the following:
- Stay away from locations where there is a risk of exposure to histoplasmosis-causing fungi, such as caves and aviaries.
- Flush the soil with water before starting to clean the chicken or bird coop, to prevent mold from spreading through the air.
- Avoid keeping birds or chickens, especially if you have a low immune system.
- Use personal protective equipment, such as masks that comply with work safety regulations.