title: Northern Wisconsin married couple infected with blastomycosis.
abstract: Blastomycosis is an uncommon, chronic, granulomatous disease caused by the dimorphic fungus Blastomycosis dermatitidis. The great majority of infections start with primary pulmonary involvement through inhalation of spores. Hematogenous dissemination to other sites occurs in 25% to 30% of cases. The most common secondary site is the skin, followed in order by bone, genitourinary system, and central venous system. We report 2 cases of blastomycosis originating in a husband and wife who were both symptomatic and diagnosed with blastomycosis within 4 months of each other. One presented with pulmonary symptoms, the other with cutaneous symptoms. These 2 cases of husband and wife are of interest not only because of their rarity but also because of the potential mode of transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Rusk County Memorial Hospital, Ladysmith, WI, USA. bachirj@mfldclin.edu
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bachir
authors.forename: Geri L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Fitch
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001759:Blastomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018454:Spouses; D014922:Wisconsin
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D017964:Itraconazole