Other conditions that might have Histoplasmosis as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Histoplasmosis. Our database lists the following as having Histoplasmosis as a complication of that condition:
Conditions listing Histoplasmosis as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Histoplasmosis. Our database lists the following as having Histoplasmosis as a symptom of that condition:
Causes: Histoplasmosis:
H. capsulatum grows in soil and material contaminated with
bat or bird droppings. Spores become airborne when contaminated
soil is disturbed. Breathing the spores causes infection. The
disease is not transmitted from an infected person to someone
else. (Source: excerpt from Histoplasmosis General: DBMD)
As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Histoplasmosis may be found in:
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Histoplasmosis.
H. capsulatum is found in the feces of birds and bats or in soil contaminated by their feces, such as that near roosts, chicken coops, barns, caves, or underneath bridges. Transmission occurs through inhalation of H. capsulatum or H. duboisii spores or through the invasion of spores after minor skin trauma. Possibly, oral ingestion of spores may cause the disease.
The incubation period is from 5 to 18 days, although chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis may progress slowly for many years. Probably because of occupational exposure, histoplasmosis is more common in adult males. Fatal disseminated disease, however, is more common in infants and elderly men.
Histoplasmosis occurs worldwide, especially in the temperate areas of Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America. In the United States, it's most prevalent in the central and eastern states, especially in the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Risk factors for severe disease (progressive disseminated histoplasmosis) include very old and very young (<2 years) and cellular immunocompromise.
Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
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