Histoplasmosis - disseminated - Treatment

Alternative Names

Systemic histoplasmosis

Treatment:

Doctors prescribe antifungal medications to control the infection. Most patients should be treated for a year or more. Those who have suppressed immune systems (for example, from AIDS) may need lifelong treatment.

Expectations (prognosis):

The disease may progress rapidly and death can occur.

Complications:

Multiple organs are affected.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of disseminated histoplasmosis, particularly if you have been recently treated for acute or chronic histoplasmosis.

Emergency symptoms include mental status changes and rapid worsening of the condition.

Disseminated histoplasmosis

Fungus

Reviewed last on: 12/1/2009
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.

References

Kauffman CA. Histoplasmosis. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 353.

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