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histoplasmosis

n. (context pathology English) A lung disease caused by a fungus, (taxlink Histoplasma capsulatum species noshow=1), often asymptomatic otherwise with symptoms similar to those of flu.

Wikipedia
Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis (also known as "Cave disease," "Darling's disease," "Ohio valley disease," "reticuloendotheliosis," " spelunker’s lung" and "caver's disease") is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Symptoms of this infection vary greatly, but the disease affects primarily the lungs. Occasionally, other organs are affected; this is called disseminated histoplasmosis, and it can be fatal if left untreated.

Histoplasmosis is common among AIDS patients because of their suppressed immunity. In immunocompetent individuals, past infection results in partial protection against ill effects if reinfected.

Histoplasma capsulatum is found in soil, often associated with decaying bat guano or bird droppings. Disruption of soil from excavation or construction can release infectious elements that are inhaled and settle into the lung.

Usage examples of "histoplasmosis".

Bats can also carry other diseases, from a protozoal sleeping sickness called Chagas disease to histoplasmosis, an airborne fungus that comes from inhaling dusty bat guano.