Blastomycosis

Alternative names:

Gilchrist's disease; North American blastomycosis

Definition:

A rare fungal infection caused by breathing in a fungus, Blastomyces dermatitidis, found in wood and soil.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The disease occurs more often in men and is geographically limited to areas of the south-central and midwestern U.S. and Canada. Men 30 to 50 years old are affected most frequently, but no occupational link is known. Lung infection may produce no symptoms, but when the infection is widespread, skin lesions (see skin lesion of blastomycosis) or bone lesions may appear, and the urogenital system may be affected. The incidence is 4 out of 100,000 people.