Run the List Blastomycosis
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Aug 11, 2025 Dr. Matthew Pullen, an infectious disease physician at the University of Minnesota, sheds light on blastomycosis, a rare fungal infection. He discusses an intriguing case of a patient with unusual symptoms that complicate diagnosis. The conversation highlights the challenges in identifying the disease across various clinical manifestations, including pulmonary and cutaneous forms. Dr. Pullen also emphasizes the importance of diagnostic tests, such as tissue biopsy and antigen testing, along with treatment strategies based on disease severity.
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Classic Disseminated Blastomycosis Case
- A 45-year-old man developed enlarging purple-black skin lesions and ankle pain after a mild pneumonia.
- The case suggests disseminated blastomycosis linking prior cabin exposure and a recent respiratory illness.
Dogs Signal Soil Exposure
- Dogs often show symptoms before owners because they inhale more soil spores.
- Matthew Pullen used hunting dogs as an example linking soil exposure to human infection.
Thermal Dimorphism Explains Lifecycle
- Blastomyces exists as environmental spores and transforms into budding yeast in mammals.
- Understanding this thermal dimorphism explains inhalation-related infection and varied clinical presentations.