Complete Information on Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis is an uncommon, but potentially serious fungal infection. Blastomycosis is an infection found in dogs, people, and occasionally cats. It primarily affects the lungs and skin. It is caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis. Infection occurs by inhalation of aerosolized conidial forms of the fungus from its natural soil habitat. This transformation provides a survival advantage to the infecting fungus as the thick cell wall of the yeasts provides resistance to phagocytosis and induces expression of an immune-modulating virulence factor on the cell surface. In the United States, blastomycosis is endemic in the Mississippi river.

Blastomycosis is distributed internationally; cases are sometimes reported from Africa. Common symptoms of blastomycosis include fever, chills, and drenching sweats. Chest pain, difficulty breathing, and a cough that may or may not bring up sputum may also develop. The lung infection usually progresses slowly.When blastomycosis spreads, it can affect many areas of the body, but the skin, bones, and genitourinary tract are the most common sites. A skin infection begins as very small, raised bumps (papules), which may contain pus. Raised, warty patches then develop, surrounded by tiny, painless abscesses (collections of pus).

Blastomycosis cannot be transmitted from person-to-person. Blastomycosis must be treated or it will gradually lead to death. Treatment with the fungicidal drug ketoconazole (Nizoral) taken orally is effective in about 75% of patients. Amphotericin B (Fungizone) given intravenously is also very effective, but it has more toxic side effects than ketoconazole. Treatment with amphotericin B usually requires hospitalization. With treatment, the person begins to feel better fairly quickly, but the drug must be continued for months. Without treatment, the infection slowly worsens and leads to death.

Itraconazole or fluconazole are superior for handling of patients who are not critically bedridden or who have no key anxious structure participation. Alternative handling for fungal infections focuses on creating a domestic surroundings where the fungus cannot endure. Supplements of vitamins C, E, A-plus, and B compound may too be helpful. Some antifungal herbs, like garlic (Allium sativum), can be consumed in comparatively big doses and for a lengthy period of moment in decree to increase potency. A kind of antifungal herbs, such as myrrh (Commiphora molmol), tea tree oil , citrus seed distill, pau d'arco tea.

Juliet Cohen writes articles for health care blog. She also writes articles for hairstyles gallery.