Histoplasmosis

On this page Basics Summary Start Here Diagnosis and Tests Prevention and Risk Factors Learn More No links available See, Play and Learn No links available Research Statistics and Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles Resources Find an Expert For You Patient Handouts Summary What is histoplasmosis?Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Histoplasma. This fungus is common in the central and eastern United States, especially around the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. It can also be found in parts of Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It lives in the environment, especially in soil that contains large amounts of bat or bird droppings (poop). How do you get histoplasmosis?You get histoplasmosis by breathing in Histoplasma fungal spores from the air. It usually happens after you have been doing an activity that disturbs the soil, such as farming, construction, and landscaping. Histoplasmosis is not contagious. This means that you cannot get the...