In a new study, scientists have suggested that soil-borne fungi whose spores
These are Histoplasma fungi, which causehistoplasmosis. Authoritative sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the online medical resource StatPearls said mushrooms can be found in the central and eastern states of the United States, especially in areas near the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys.
However, according to a new study, Histoplasmacan be found in 47 US states, as well as in Washington, DC. In addition, fungi are growing at clinically significant levels in at least one county per affected state.
Histoplasmosis is a lung disease caused byHistoplasma capsulatum; it is often chronic and usually follows an asymptomatic primary infection. Symptoms - as with pneumonia or non-specific chronic disease.
In a new study published inJournal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers analyzed Medicare claims filed between 2007 and 2016. The goal is to determine the frequency of diagnoses of fungal infections in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The experts only included data on Medicare clients aged 65 and over, so this is not a complete picture of all fungal infections in every state, the study authors noted.
But, despite all the limitations, scientistsemphasize that there is a danger that these fungi can be found in the soil of many more states than previously thought. Physicians should recognize the possibility of these diseases occurring throughout the country, the authors of the study concluded.
These maps show historical areas(top row) the three main fungal species causing lung infections in the US—Histoplasma (red), Blastomyces (blue), and Coccidioides (green)—as of 1955. The bottom row of maps shows the range of mushrooms between 2007 and 2016, according to a new study. Source: OUP Academic
Also, scientists specifically looked for casesblastomycosis, an infection caused by fungi of the genus Blastomyces, and coccidioidomycosis, its “trigger” is Coccidioides. According to the CDC, Blastomyces has been found in the Midwest, south-central and southeastern states, as well as in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys, the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. The agency reports that Coccidioides was found in the southwestern United States and south-central Washington state. Data on their distribution since 1955 is presented on the map above.
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