Histoplasma capsulatum and Histoplasmosis Exposed in New Public Outreach Video

July 25, 2011 - PRLog -- Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. It is a dimorphic fungus that remains in a mycelial form at ambient temperatures and grows as yeast at body temperature in mammals. Its symptoms vary greatly, but the disease primarily affects the lungs.  

H. capsulatum grows in soil and material contaminated with bat or bird droppings. Birds do not appear to be infected by the fungus and do not directly transmit the disease, but bird excretions in soils acts as an enriching medium that promotes the growth of the fungus.  Bats can become infected however, and they do transmit histoplasmosis through their droppings.

Contaminated soil can be potentially infectious for years. Breathing the spores causes the infection.  Spores become airborne when contaminated soil is disturbed, such as during construction or renovations. If this animal waste or contaminated soil is near air intakes, or the birds or bats are roosting in an attic or other part of the indoor environment, it can also lead to possible infections.  

“Histoplasma capsulatum is found throughout the world and is endemic in certain areas of the United States, mostly the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys,” reported Paul Cochrane, President of Cochrane and Associates, the company behind the IAQ Video Network and a new public outreach video on Histoplasma capsulatum.   “The fungus has been found in poultry house litter, caves, areas harboring bats, and in bird roosts. Infants, young children, and older persons, in particular those with chronic lung disease are at increased risk for severe infections.”

To view this video please visit http://www.IAQTV.com or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3PJzOwcGeE



To learn more please visit http://www.cochraneassoc.com, email info@cochraneassoc.com or call (602)510-3179.

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About Cochrane & Associates, LLC & the IAQ Video Network
Cochrane & Associates is a business development, public relations and marketing consulting firm that specializes in the environmental, HVAC, mold and indoor air quality industries. The company has worked with many of the industries’ leading institutions and companies and continues to be an innovator in the industry. They are also the innovators behind the IAQ Video Network.