Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis
The diagnosis of blastomycosis and histoplasmosis can be difficult for clinicians who rarely see infections caused by these environmentally restricted dimorphic fungi. Historically, the diagnosis of blastomycosis has been established by culture and sometimes by histopathologic identification. Curren...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/12 |
| _version_ | 1797543237951422464 |
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| author | Kathleen A. Linder Carol A. Kauffman |
| author_facet | Kathleen A. Linder Carol A. Kauffman |
| author_sort | Kathleen A. Linder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The diagnosis of blastomycosis and histoplasmosis can be difficult for clinicians who rarely see infections caused by these environmentally restricted dimorphic fungi. Historically, the diagnosis of blastomycosis has been established by culture and sometimes by histopathologic identification. Currently, antigen detection in urine and serum has been shown to aid in the rapid diagnosis of blastomycosis, and newer antibody assays are likely to contribute to our diagnostic capability in the near future. The gold standard for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis has been culture of the organism from involved tissues, aided in some patients by histopathological verification of the typical yeast forms in tissues. Antigen detection has contributed greatly to the ability of clinicians to rapidly establish the diagnosis of histoplasmosis, especially in severely ill and immunocompromised patients, and antibody testing for <i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> provides important adjunctive diagnostic capability for several forms of both acute and chronic histoplasmosis. For both of these endemic mycoses, novel molecular tests are under active investigation, but remain available in only a few reference laboratories. In this review, we provide a synopsis of diagnostic test options that aid in establishing whether a patient has blastomycosis or histoplasmosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:42:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7a376beb82eb40678af12f16fb45c892 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:42:42Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-7a376beb82eb40678af12f16fb45c8922023-11-21T02:53:38ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2020-12-01711210.3390/jof7010012Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and HistoplasmosisKathleen A. Linder0Carol A. Kauffman1Infectious Diseases Section, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USAInfectious Diseases Section, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USAThe diagnosis of blastomycosis and histoplasmosis can be difficult for clinicians who rarely see infections caused by these environmentally restricted dimorphic fungi. Historically, the diagnosis of blastomycosis has been established by culture and sometimes by histopathologic identification. Currently, antigen detection in urine and serum has been shown to aid in the rapid diagnosis of blastomycosis, and newer antibody assays are likely to contribute to our diagnostic capability in the near future. The gold standard for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis has been culture of the organism from involved tissues, aided in some patients by histopathological verification of the typical yeast forms in tissues. Antigen detection has contributed greatly to the ability of clinicians to rapidly establish the diagnosis of histoplasmosis, especially in severely ill and immunocompromised patients, and antibody testing for <i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> provides important adjunctive diagnostic capability for several forms of both acute and chronic histoplasmosis. For both of these endemic mycoses, novel molecular tests are under active investigation, but remain available in only a few reference laboratories. In this review, we provide a synopsis of diagnostic test options that aid in establishing whether a patient has blastomycosis or histoplasmosis.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/12blastomycosis<i>Blastomyces dermatitidis</i>histoplasmosis<i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i>antigen detection |
| spellingShingle | Kathleen A. Linder Carol A. Kauffman Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis Journal of Fungi blastomycosis <i>Blastomyces dermatitidis</i> histoplasmosis <i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> antigen detection |
| title | Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis |
| title_full | Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis |
| title_fullStr | Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis |
| title_short | Current and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis |
| title_sort | current and new perspectives in the diagnosis of blastomycosis and histoplasmosis |
| topic | blastomycosis <i>Blastomyces dermatitidis</i> histoplasmosis <i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> antigen detection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathleenalinder currentandnewperspectivesinthediagnosisofblastomycosisandhistoplasmosis AT carolakauffman currentandnewperspectivesinthediagnosisofblastomycosisandhistoplasmosis |