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Blastomycosis - Symptom

Alternative Names

North American blastomycosis; Gilchrist's disease

Symptoms:

Lung infection may produce no symptoms, but when the infection spreads, skin or bone sores (lesions) may appear. The bladder, kidney, prostate, and testes may be affected.

Other symptoms may include:

Chest pain
Cough (may produce brown or bloody mucus)
Fatigue
Fever
General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
Joint stiffness and pain
Muscle stiffness and pain
Rash
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Unintentional weight loss

Signs and tests:

Chest x-ray
Skin biopsy
Sputum culture and examination under the microscope after applying special stains to sputum
Tissue biopsy

Fungus

Reviewed last on: 9/17/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Chapman SW. Plastomyces dermatitidis. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2005: chap 263.

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