According to a story from Medical Xpress, an uncommon fungal infection has been discovered in Alberta, Canada. This infection, called histoplasmosis, is transmitted through the fecal matter of bats and birds. The discovery was made by a team of experts from the University of Alberta and Alberta Precision Laboratories. This was the first time that histoplasmosis was recorded in the region and indicates a significant expansion of the disease’s known range.
About Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is a lung disease linked to infection by the fungi Histoplasma capsulatum. In more severe cases, other parts of the body may be impacted. Without treatment, the illness can be fatal. There are various forms of histoplasmosis. People with weakened immune systems, such as AIDS patients, are at an increased risk. Symptoms can resemble pneumonia, the flu, or even tuberculosis in chronic cases. They include coughing, chills, fever, headache, breathing problems, skin lesions, enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged spleen, and enlarged liver; in more severe cases, vision loss, fibrosis of the lymph nodes, respiratory failure, chronic pneumonia, and a rare disease called fibrosing mediastinitis can occur. Immunocompromised people are at the greatest risk of complications and death. While the disease can resolve without treatment in most people, severe cases require antifungal medications, most often amphotericin B followed by itraconazole. To learn more about histoplasmosis, click here.
Typically, histoplasmosis is considered most common in southern Ontario and Quebec, as well as in the central US. People are exposed to the fungus via inhalation, as particles often suspend in dust in the air. Generally, areas with large amounts of bird or bat droppings, such as old buildings, parks, or construction sites, are areas of greatest risk.
“We were surprised at how many cases were locally acquired, as histoplasmosis has always been considered a travel-related infection,” – Dr. Tanis Dingle, lead clinical microbiologist, Alberta Precision Laboratories and assistant professor at the University of Alberta
The scientists looked at 45 recorded cases of the disease in Alberta between 2011 and 2018 and were able to determine that 15 of the infections have been acquired locally. Generally, these cases were found in the most rural areas of the province. Considering the difficulty in diagnosing this infection, knowing that it is possible to be exposed to the disease locally is vital knowledge.
Climate change may be a factor in the discovery of histoplasmosis in the area, as Alberta has recorded warmer temperatures and reduced precipitation in recent years. The researchers plan to evaluate more soil samples from Alberta to get a better idea of where it can be found.
Check out the original study here.
