Blastomycosis classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

Blastomycosis is fungal infection primarily involving lungs and the presentation is often confused with acute bacterial pneumonia. It can be classified into two categories based on the duration of symptoms and organ involvement as acute or chronic and pulmonary or extra-pulmonary blastomycosis.^[1]^[2]

Classification

Based on duration of symptoms

Acute: If the duration of symptoms is less than 4-6 weeks
Chronic: If the symptoms persist for more than 6 weeks.

Based on organ involved

Pulmonary Blastomycosis: Lungs are the most common site of primary infection in blastomycosis.
Extra-pulmonary Blastomycosis: The most common extra pulmonary sites involved in blastomycosis are skin, bone, genitourinary and CNS.

References

↑ Kauffman, Carol (2011). Essentials of clinical mycology. New York: Springer. ISBN 978-1-4419-6639-1.
↑ Saccente M, Woods GL (2010). “Clinical and laboratory update on blastomycosis”. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 23 (2): 367–81. doi:10.1128/CMR.00056-09. PMC 2863359. PMID 20375357.

[1] Kauffman, Carol (2011). Essentials of clinical mycology. New York: Springer. ISBN 978-1-4419-6639-1.

[pmid20375357-2] Saccente M, Woods GL (2010). “Clinical and laboratory update on blastomycosis”. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 23 (2): 367–81. doi:10.1128/CMR.00056-09. PMC 2863359. PMID 20375357.

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