Blastomyces dermatitidis

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Blastomyces - The Broad-Based Budder

  • Organism: Dimorphic fungus; mold in cold soil, yeast in the heat (body).
  • Geography: Ohio & Mississippi River valleys, Great Lakes region (soil & decaying wood).
  • Transmission: Inhalation of microconidia.
  • Pathology:
    • Yeast form: Large, round, with a single Broad-Based Bud. 📌 "Blasto buds broadly."
    • Pulmonary: Asymptomatic to chronic pneumonia mimicking TB/cancer.
    • Disseminated: Skin (verrucous lesions), bones (osteomyelitis), GU system.
  • Diagnosis: Microscopy (sputum/tissue) showing yeast. Urine antigen test.
  • Treatment: Itraconazole (mild/moderate), Amphotericin B (severe).

⭐ Granulomatous nodules are a key feature; skin lesions can be mistaken for squamous cell carcinoma.

Blastomyces dermatitidis broad-based budding yeast

Epidemiology & Pathogenesis - A Mississippi Tale

  • Geography: Endemic to the Ohio & Mississippi River valleys, Great Lakes region, and southeastern US.
  • Habitat: Found in acidic, moist soil rich in decaying organic matter (e.g., rotting wood, leaf litter).
  • Transmission: Inhalation of aerosolized mold conidia following soil disturbance.

Blastomyces dermatitidis Endemic Areas in North America

Pathogenesis Hallmark: The yeast form evades phagocytosis partly due to its thick wall and characteristic single, broad-based bud.

Clinical Picture - The Great Pretender

  • Pulmonary Disease (Primary Site):

    • Ranges from asymptomatic/mild flu-like illness to severe, ARDS-like pneumonia.
    • Chest X-ray is non-specific: may show mass-like infiltrates, nodules, or consolidation, mimicking malignancy or tuberculosis.
  • **Disseminated Disease (Extrapulmonary):

    • Skin (~60%): Most common site. Lesions are typically verrucous (wart-like) with irregular borders or ulcerative with crusted surfaces. Blastomycosis verrucous lesion on face
    • Bone (~25%): Osteomyelitis; lytic lesions in long bones, vertebrae, and ribs.
    • Genitourinary (~10%): Prostatitis and epididymitis.
    • CNS (Rare): Meningitis or intracranial abscesses, primarily in immunocompromised hosts.

⭐ Cutaneous blastomycosis is a notorious mimic of squamous cell carcinoma, often leading to misdiagnosis. Biopsy is crucial for differentiation.

Diagnosis & Treatment - Lab & Pharmacy

  • Lab Diagnosis
    • Microscopy: Direct visualization of large, round yeast with a single, broad-based bud.
    • Culture: Gold standard from sputum or tissue; slow (2-4 weeks), thermally dimorphic.
    • Urine Antigen Assay: Rapid & sensitive for diagnosis and monitoring.

⭐ The Blastomyces urine antigen test frequently cross-reacts with Histoplasma, a common diagnostic pitfall.

  • Treatment
    • Guided by disease severity.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Endemic to Eastern/Central US, particularly the Ohio & Mississippi River valleys.
  • Dimorphic fungus: Mold in the cold, yeast in the heat (body).
  • Look for large yeast cells with single, broad-based buds on microscopy.
  • Transmission is via inhalation of spores from disturbed soil or decaying wood.
  • Primary disease is pulmonary, which can mimic pneumonia or cancer.
  • Dissemination commonly affects the skin (verrucous or ulcerative lesions) and bones.
  • Treat mild-to-moderate cases with itraconazole; severe disease with Amphotericin B.

Practice Questions: Blastomyces dermatitidis

Test your understanding with these related questions

A 54-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a painful skin lesion on her right leg for 1 month. It initially started out as a small red spot but has rapidly increased in size during this period. She remembers an ant bite on her leg prior to the lesion occurring. She was treated for anterior uveitis 8 months ago with corticosteroids. She has Crohn's disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Current medications include insulin, mesalamine, enalapril, and aspirin. She returned from Wisconsin after visiting her son 2 months ago. Her temperature is 37.6°C (98°F), pulse is 98/min, and blood pressure is 126/88 mm Hg. Examination shows pitting pedal edema of the lower extremities. There is a 4-cm tender ulcerative lesion on the anterior right leg with a central necrotic base and purplish irregular borders. There are dilated tortuous veins in both lower legs. Femoral and pedal pulses are palpated bilaterally. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

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Flashcards: Blastomyces dermatitidis

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Blastomycosis commonly occurs near the Great Lakes yes, but also in the eastern and _____ US as well

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

Blastomycosis commonly occurs near the Great Lakes yes, but also in the eastern and _____ US as well

southern

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