Dozens fell ill as potentially deadly fungus spreads in southern state

A potentially deadly fungus has been spreading throughout Tennessee, health officials warned.

More than 35 cases of histoplasmosis, a lung infection caused by exposure to the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, have been confirmed over a three-month period in the Maury and Williamson county area, according to figures released Jan. 12 by the Tennessee Department of Health.

A family has also come forward claiming that a woman died after contracting histoplasmosis, and that a positive test result was obtained two days after her death, according to a local report.

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However, during a briefing at the Williamson County Board of Commissioners, state epidemiologists said an investigation is underway and the infection has not yet been confirmed to be the direct cause of any deaths.

They also noted that the average age of those infected is 50 years.

The fungus comes from soil contaminated with bird or bat droppings, according to state officials. People become exposed when they breathe in fungal spores. No single common source has been identified in the Tennessee outbreak.

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In most cases, people do not get sick, but there is a chance that histoplasmosis can cause respiratory symptoms, ranging from mild to life-threatening, according to the CDC.

Symptoms of histoplasmosis, which can include fever, cough, extreme fatigue, headache, body aches, chills, and chest pain, usually appear three to 17 days after exposure to the fungus.

“Histopplasmosis can be fatal for certain patients, but it doesn’t have to be.”

Because these symptoms are similar to those of the cold and flu, the condition is often overlooked or misdiagnosed.

Dr. Zaid Fadul, CEO of Bespoke Concierge MD in California, noted that most people are not at high risk. “Most of the time, we don’t get sick because the amount of spores we breathe in is minimal (assuming we’re not working outside all day),” he told News Digital.

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According to the doctor, the highest risk groups include people with weakened immune systems or those with high levels of exposure to the spores. “If the immune system is compromised, histoplasmosis can go crazy and cause a life-threatening illness,” he warned.

While most people do not require treatment, antifungal medications are available for severe cases. Some of the Tennessee patients have been hospitalized and others are “critically ill,” state officials confirmed during the briefing.

Health care providers can confirm the infection by testing blood or urine samples in a laboratory. Other possible means of testing may include respiratory fluid, X-rays, CT scans, or a tissue biopsy.

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To prevent infection, health officials recommend limiting soil-moving activities and considering wearing masks during “high-risk” outdoor activities.

“It’s very healthy to be outside, but if it’s dusty or you’re going to be outside for a long time, you should wear some type of mask to limit the spores you can inhale,” Fadul said.

Before this outbreak, histoplasmosis was a “notifiable disease” in only 14 states (Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Washington), according to the CDC.

The infection is not transmitted between humans and cannot be transmitted from humans to animals.

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Anyone who experiences symptoms and believes they have been exposed to the Histoplasma fungus should contact a doctor for testing, especially if antibiotics do not help.

“With this outbreak and the new antigen tests approved by the CDC, any vague respiratory illness should lead to rapid diagnosis and treatment,” Fadul said. “Histopplasmosis can be fatal for certain patients, but it doesn’t have to be.”