An outbreak of blastomycosis in eastern Tennessee

Most cases of blastomycosis are sporadic and only nine outbreaks representing a total of 112 cases have previously been reported. Less than half of these have been culture proven cases. Outbreaks have previously occurred in North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and Virginia. We report three...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMycopathologia (1975) Vol. 116; no. 1; p. 15
Main Authors Frye, M D, Seifer, F D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Netherlands 01.10.1991
Subjects
Adult
Blastomyces - isolation & purification
Blastomycosis - epidemiology
Bronchi - microbiology
Bronchoscopy
Disease Outbreaks
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Tennessee - epidemiology
Tennessee
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Summary:Most cases of blastomycosis are sporadic and only nine outbreaks representing a total of 112 cases have previously been reported. Less than half of these have been culture proven cases. Outbreaks have previously occurred in North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and Virginia. We report three culturally confirmed cases of blastomycosis from Elizabethton, Tennessee, who had onset of illness within a one-week span of time. The patients presented with fever, chest pain, weight loss, poor appetite and myalgia. Each initially had a dry cough which became productive of purulent sputum as the illness progressed. Mild hemoptysis occurred during each patient's course. Serologic testing by immunodiffusion and enzyme immunoassay were positive and testing by complement fixation was negative in each case. The diagnosis was made by histopathology on transbronchial biopsy or transthoracic needle aspiration material. Each patient improved on ketoconazole therapy.
ISSN:0301-486X
DOI:10.1007/BF00436085