Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
05:08
Application of I TASSER, trRosetta, UCSF Chimera, HADDOCK server, and HEX loria for De Novo and In Silico Design of Proteins
Published on: July 8, 2025
Risk factors for acquisition of endemic blastomycosis
Maxym Choptiany1, Lyle Wiebe, Bill Limerick
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
Summary
Blastomycosis risk factors include immunosuppression and outdoor work. Canine blastomycosis is not linked to human cases. Understanding these factors aids in preventing this potentially fatal fungal infection.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Blastomycosis is a serious fungal infection with poorly understood environmental risk factors.
- Identifying these factors is crucial for prevention and public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate environmental and occupational risk factors associated with acquiring blastomycosis.
- To identify key determinants for blastomycosis development in endemic regions.
Main Methods:
- A matched cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted.
- 112 blastomycosis patients and 118 control subjects from Manitoba and northwestern Ontario participated.
Main Results:
- Pulmonary, skin, soft tissue, and bone were most commonly affected by blastomycosis.
- Outdoor occupations, immunosuppression (due to disease or therapy), and hypothyroidism were significantly associated with blastomycosis.
- No significant association was found between canine and human blastomycosis.
Conclusions:
- Independent risk factors for blastomycosis include immunosuppression, collagen vascular disease, outdoor work, and occupational exposure.
- Canine blastomycosis does not appear to be a risk factor for human infection in dog owners.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:23Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, primarily targeting the lungs and spreading through airborne transmission. Infection begins when aerosolized droplet nuclei, expelled by an individual with active TB, are inhaled by another person. These microscopic particles carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. Upon reaching the alveoli, the bacilli are engulfed by alveolar macrophages. However, due to their specialized lipid-rich cell wall, these pathogens...