Blastomycosis is rarely transmitted from animal to animal or from animal to human
. If transmission does occur, it would be through an animal having an open and draining wound, and having that wound come into contact with an open wound on the human.
What does blastomycosis do to humans?
Blastomycosis is an infectious disease characterized by
fever, chills, headaches, chest pain, weight loss, night sweats, cough, and/or difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
. Some affected individuals do not experience these symptoms although they are actively infected (asymptomatic).
How does someone get blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis is usually caused by
inhaling airborne spores from contaminated soil into the lungs
. Spores are more likely to be airborne after contaminated soil is disturbed by activities such as excavation, construction, digging, or wood clearing.
How do I know if my dog has blastomycosis?
- Fever.
- Weight loss.
- Poor appetite.
- Cough.
- Lymph node swelling.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Limping.
- Skin lesions (pimples/pustules, sometimes with draining tracts, and rash-like lesions)
How do you treat Blasto in dogs?
Treatment of blastomycosis requires
long-term antifungal medications
(i.e. average 2-6 months of therapy). Itraconazole or fluconazole are most commonly used. Some dogs may need to be hospitalized initially to help control some of their more severe symptoms.
How can I protect my dog from blastomycosis?
There is no vaccine to prevent blastomycosis in dogs.
The only thing pet dog owners can do is
keep their canine friends away from marshy landscapes, as well as streams and lakes where the risk of exposure is the highest
.
What animals might carry blastomycosis?
- Most commonly affected – people, dogs, cats.
- Less commonly diagnosed – horses, ferrets, deer, wolves, African lions, bottlenosed dolphins, sea lions.
- Not reported to be susceptible – cattle, sheep, pigs.
Is blastomycosis contagious from human to human?
Is blastomycosis contagious?
No. Blastomycosis can’t spread between people or between people and animals
.
Can blastomycosis be in my house?
The organism has been isolated from an inhabited yard and from a house being razed. Conclusions:
There appears to be growing evidence that blastomycosis may be acquired at home
, and that B. dermatitidis may be relatively persistent on certain properties.
What is human Blasto?
Blasto is
an infection caused by the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis
. The fungus lives in most soil and decaying wood and leaves. Illness can occur two to 15 weeks after breathing in the fungal spores. Symptoms can include cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, and chest pain.
What is the mortality rate of blastomycosis?
Deaths due to blastomycosis. An analysis of blastomycosis deaths in the United States found that 1,216 blastomycosis-related deaths occurred during 1990–2010, and the overall age-adjusted mortality rate was
0.21 per 1 million person-years
.
Can blastomycosis be fatal?
Blastomycosis is a
potentially fatal
fungal infection endemic to parts of North America.
How fast does dog blastomycosis spread?
Infection with Blastomyces occurs when a cat or dog inhales the fungal spores into the lungs, usually by digging in the soil. The incubation period (time between exposure and development of signs) is from 5 to 12 weeks. The disease spreads
most commonly from the lungs to the rest of the body
.
How long does it take for a dog to recover from blastomycosis?
Itraconzole should be given daily for a minimum of two months and continued until the disease is no longer noticeable. In treated dogs, clinical cure can be expected in ~70% of the dogs, with ~20% suffering relapses
months to a year
after treatment.
How common is Blasto in dogs?
Dermatologic manifestations of blastomycosis occur in
30% to 50% of infected dogs
. Granulomatous proliferative masslike lesions and ulcerated skin lesions draining serosanguineous or purulent fluid are most common.
How long does itraconazole take to work in dogs?
Serum itraconazole concentrations reached steady state by
14 days
of treatment.
Can my dog survive blastomycosis?
Very few dogs with blastomycosis can recover on their own
; most require veterinary care and aggressive treatment with antifungal medications.
What do you feed a dog with blastomycosis?
Avoid excessive time in the woods, especially near water (since blastomycosis is in the soil near water) Feed your dog
foods containing no yeast
. Give Vitamin C, E, A, and B as a supplement if your veterinarian recommends.
