WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – As they say, April showers bring May flowers. But before we get to blooming flowers, those rain showers and standing water make one disease more common this time of year: Blastomycosis.
Blastomycosis, also known as Blasto, is a disease caused by a fungus of a similar name; Blastomyces. A mold that creates spores bad for your insides.
“They inhale those spores, and it gets into the lungs of the the dog, the cat, the wolf, the whatever the human. And it most often or often will manifest itself as an as a respiratory infection,” said Dr. Jennifer Meece, Director of the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute.
She says it can infect other parts of the body 40-50% of the time.
“Fever, body aches, sometimes, you know, classic, classic symptoms of an infection in the lungs. Sometimes people really don’t actually recall having a severe acute respiratory event, and it’ll show up as a skin infection,” said Meece. “It can basically disseminate within the the memory and host to any organ, essentially lungs. It can go to the brain; it can go to the skin. Can go to the prostate. It really has no bounds in terms of the organs that it can infect if it gets out of the lungs.”
Wisconsin is in the top five states with the highest incidence. As much as you should be on the lookout for warning signs for yourself, man’s best friend is more susceptible to it.
“You really feel quite sick with it. The dogs come in you know, high fevers and just, not wanting to eat, not moving around, not doing any of their normal things,” said Dr. Nikki Wills of Kronenwetter Veterinarian Care.
There are quite a few similarities in the symptoms between humans and dogs. Both Wills and Meece say the best prevention is sticking to somewhere dry when you go outside.
“You can test the soil and not find it, but it can be there, and it may be one place one year and not the next. So, if you know if it’s that moist time of year, spring fall, maybe keep them out of the marsh swampy areas,” said Wills.
Wills says if your dog has an open sore and they’re suspected of having Blasto, do not touch it. It’s another way humans can get it.
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