Blindness from presumed ocular histoplasmosis in Tennessee

Tennessee has the highest histoplasmosis infection incidence in the United States. Over 60% of the population reacts positively to skin tests and more than 60 new patients require hospitalization for the treatment of this disorder each year. However, the presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) remains an uncommon cause of blindness in this state. A retrospective analysis performed with the assistance of 173 Tennessee Ophthalmologists identified 98 new POHS cases in 1980. A similar study, performed in a prospective manner, found 44 new POHS cases in the first six months of 1981. An analysis of recipients of Aid to the Blind revealed 0.5% with POHS; while 2.8% of new applicants for Aid to the Blind had POHS.