title: Pulmonary blastomycosis: a new endemic area in New York state.
abstract: We describe three cases of pulmonary blastomycosis in patients from central New York State (NYS). Two of these cases occurred in 2012, and in patients who resided in the same county. Moreover, two of these cases manifested with acute respiratory distress syndrome and survived. Interestingly, one of the two received corticosteroids and was extubated within 1 week. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first cases of human blastomycosis to be reported from NYS and we propose that corticosteroids administration might reduce hospitalisation time and ventilator-associated complications, even though it is not currently recommended in standard treatment.
authors.affiliation: Bassett Medical Center and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Cooperstown, NY, USA. nitipong.permpalung@bassett.org
authors.forename: Nitipong
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Permpalung
authors.forename: Quanhathai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Kaewpoowat
authors.forename: Kunatum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prasidthrathsint
authors.forename: Daych
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chongnarungsin
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hyman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001759:Blastomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Adult respiratory distress syndrome; Blastomyces dermatitidis; New York; blastomycosis; methylprednisolone