Treatment:

The doctor will prescribe antifungal medications to control the infection within the lung. These medications must be taken for 1 to 2 years.

Expectations (prognosis):

The infection usually goes away with antifungal medication, but scarring inside the lung often remains. Histoplasmosis is unusual enough that if you develop it, your health care provider should check to find out whether another disease is weakening your immune system.

Often, those who have had chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis must follow up with their doctor, who will check for signs of relapse.

In rare cases, a pulmonary histoplasmosis infection can spread through the blood to other organs. This is called disseminated histoplasmosis. People who have a suppressed immune system and very young children are more likely to develop this condition. If this occurs, the prognosis is less favorable.

Complications:

• Arthritis
• Disseminated histoplasmosis
• Lung scarring (fibrosis)
• Pericarditis
• Respiratory insufficiency

Patients who breathe in a large amount of fungus can develop a severe and potentially deadly and sudden type of lung infection.

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you develop symptoms of chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis.

Call your health care provider if your symptoms continue despite treatment, or if you have breathing difficulty or symptoms of disseminated histoplasmosis.