Histoplasmosis - acute (primary) pulmonary

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Acute histoplasmosis

Fungus

Treatment for acute pulmonary histoplasmosis is usually not necessary. Amphotericin B, an antifungal medication, may be given for severe cases. Treatment with amphotericin B is given for 2 weeks to children under 2 years of age, because they are at risk for developing disseminated histoplasmosis. If additional therapy is needed, or if the disease is not serious enough to require intravenous (IV)therapy, itraconazole may be given.

When severe and progressive, the illness may last for 1 to 6 months, but is rarely fatal. It can be a very serious illness in people with weak immune systems, such as those who have had bone marrow or solid organ transplants, or those who have AIDS.

Histoplasmosis can spread to other organs through the bloodstream (dissemination). This is usually seen in infants, young children, and immunosuppressed patients.

Acute histoplasmosis can progressively worsen or can become chronic histoplasmosis.

Call your health care provider if symptoms of histoplasmosis occur, especially if you have an immune disorder, have been recently exposed to bird or bat droppings, or if you are being treated for histoplasmosis and new symptoms develop.

Review Date: 05/26/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.