Symptoms of Blastomycosis

Key points

  • About half of people who breathe in spores from the fungus Blastomyces develop symptoms.
  • Blastomycosis usually affects the lungs and causes symptoms of pnuemonia.
  • It can cause skin lesions.
  • Symptoms start 3 weeks to 3 months after exposure.
A man holding his chest and coughing

Symptoms

About half of people who breathe in Blastomyces spores develop symptoms. Blastomycosis usually affects the lungs causing symptoms of pneumonia, including:

  • Fever
  • Cough and shortness of breath
  • Night sweats
  • Muscle aches or joint pain
  • Weight loss
  • Chest, rib, or back pain
  • Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
A woman coughing in her arm and holding a thermometer
Blastomycosis may cause symptoms of pneumonia.

Some people with blastomycosis may also develop skin lesions, such as raised bumps, blisters, or ulcers.

Symptoms start 3 weeks to 3 months after a person breathes in spores from Blastomyces.

Signs and symptoms in animals

Pets, particularly dogs, can get blastomycosis, but spread between animals and people is very rare. The symptoms of blastomycosis in animals are similar to the symptoms in humans. People concerned about your pet's risk of getting blastomycosis or who think their pet has blastomycosis, should talk to a veterinarian.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)