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Health Department Reminds Residents to Be Aware of Blastomycosis Risks

SHAWANO/MENOMINEE COUNTIES, WI – As people and pets spend more time outdoors during the warmer months, the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department is reminding residents to be aware of blastomycosis, a fungal infection that can affect both humans and animals.

Therapy dog fights blastomycosis

Wisconsin therapy dog enrolled in a clinical trial using PET/CT imaging technology and returns to the classroom.

Chicago-Area Veterinary Warning About Blastomycosis

A suburban Chicago veterinary clinic reports increased seasonal cases in dogs

Blastomycosis infects two pets in the same household in Wisconsin

Wisconsin woman says her two dogs have been battling a blastomycosis infection for over a year and shares her story

Guidelines for Blastomycosis in Cats

Blastomycosis is less common in cats than dogs but can cause serious respiratory, skin, eye, neurological and systemic disease, particularly in endemic areas of North America. Diagnosis may involve antigen testing along with cytology, histology or PCR, while itraconazole is considered the first-line treatment for many feline cases. This updated 2026 ABCD clinical guideline provides veterinarians with a comprehensive overview of feline blastomycosis, including epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention.

Blastomycosis in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Treatments

Healthy dog's eyes seem to bulge and cloud over. Suspecting glaucoma, the dog's owner, raced the 4-year-old Saluki to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, where the ophthalmologist confirmed the eye was already blind. As is usually the case at teaching hospitals, a veterinary student performed a head-to-toe exam on the dog. The student pointed out a small sore between his foot pads.

New Yeast-Based Culture Testing Method Could Improve Blastomycosis Testing Time to Days

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Marshfield Clinic Research Institute developed a safer, yeast-based laboratory test that could shorten blastomycosis diagnosis from 2–4 weeks to just 1–3 days. Faster results may allow patients and pets to begin antifungal treatment sooner, when outcomes are often better. Because delayed diagnosis remains one of the leading causes of severe illness and death from blastomycosis, this innovation has the potential to improve care, particularly in rural communities where specialized fungal testing is often unavailable.

Environmental conditions are favorable for blastomycosis to grow and spread in area of Wisconsin

Health officials are warning people about Blastomycosis after conditions have been favorable for the fungus to grow and spread in the area

Similar Fungus to Blastomycosis Sickens 35, Kills 1, Linked to Soil Exposure

Tennessee health officials are investigating a cluster of infections tied to a fungus found in soil, after at least 35 people became sick. One death is under review. The illness, called histoplasmosis, affects the lungs and can feel like the flu. Symptoms may include fever, cough, chest pain, chills, tiredness and night sweats.

Blastomycosis found in Unexpected Parts of the U.S.

New research shows blastomycosis is on the move spreading across the U.S.

How it affects humans

Worldwide more than 1 billion people get a fungal infection each year

Seeking Better Treatment for Blastomycosis

Dr. Reinhart takes the first step in evaluating a different kind of oxygen support, high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNOT). HFNOT uses nasal cannulas. These are similar to what you might see in a hospitalized person, where a clear plastic tube rests under the nose. Two shorter tubes come out of the main tube and enter each nostril.

Blastomycosis Cluster Near Construction and Willow River in St. Croix County, WI

Construction dust in a Wisconsin neighborhood may have led to 2021-22 blastomycosis cluster

Merck Manual Veterinary Manual

Blastomycosis is a multifocal fungal infection due to the dimorphic fungi Blastomyces spp. The fungi are often found in soil or decomposing organic matter, such as leaves.

What Dog Owners Should Know About Blastomycosis

Dr. Jennell Appel answers questions about blastomycosis. Dr. Appel has been involved in the field of canine rehabilitation since 2002, with a special interest in canine athletics.

How a Weeklong Fever Changed a Minnesota Woman's Life Forever

What started as a weeklong fever led to a debilitating disease that changed Heidi's life completely. Heidi's experience with blastomycosis, including a 13 day stay at a hospital, highlights the need for awareness and research on the long-term effects of the disease.

Michigan Chef dies from rapid spread of blastomycosis infection

29-year old chef dies from rapid blastomycosis infection in his lungs

How One Family Saved Their Dog from Blastomycosis

From first symptoms to environment and visits, this pet owner details how his dog Chloe likely contracted blastomycosis, the misdiagnosis that followed, and eventually getting treatment.

Blasto Outbreak at Michigan mill factory infects 100+ workers

Soil disturbance or dust likely leads to one of the largest cases of blasto on record

Doctors Remove Lung from Dog that Inhaled Blastomyces in Soil

Life changed in a matter of weeks for an Illinois family now doing all they can to save their four-legged loved one. Doctors ultimately removed his right lung that was overcome by the infection, but the cost set the Garden Prairie family back nearly $11,000 in medical expenses.

Blastomycosis Cases Reported Near the Willow River in Boardman, Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH) and St. Croix County Public Health are investigating a small number of cases of Blastomycosis in humans and animals (canine) linked to the Willow River area near Boardman, Wisconsin.

Analysis and Modeling of Blastomyces dermatitidis Distribution in the Environment Using Soil Collected at Basal and Outbreak Sites

Researchers analyzed 250 Minnesota soil samples from blastomycosis outbreak sites and regions with high or low disease prevalence to pinpoint the environmental conditions where the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis thrives. Using ecological niche modeling, including a random forest classifier that predicted the fungus's presence with 75% accuracy, the study reveals key landscape features tied to this soil-dwelling pathogen's distribution.

Tracking the Search-And-Rescue Dogs Deployed During the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

Fifteen-year surveillance of pathological findings associated with death or euthanasia in search-and-rescue dogs deployed to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack sites

Blastomycosis Information

Blastomyces dermatitidis is a dimorphic fungus capable of infecting canines and humans. This organism is endemic to the eastern third of the United States. In the fungal phase (saprophytic phase) this organism is found in moist, low pH soils, animal wastes, and decaying vegetation where its hyphae produce 2 to 10 micron smooth-walled conidia.

Midwest Dogs at Risk of Fungal Infection Blastomycosis

Fungus Infects Dogs, Horses, Cats, People

Illinois is located in the “blastobelt for humans and pets”

Frequently called the “Chicago Disease,” blastomycosis is on the rise in the Chicago area

Blastomycosis is a Systemic Fungal Infection Affecting Dogs and Cats

Blastomycosis, caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis, is a systemic fungal infection that affects dogs and cats. Blastomycosis appears in North America, most often the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, and St. Lawrence River valleys. (Fungal growth is supported by wet, sandy, acidic soils rich in organic matter, which is why it is found in valleys and is seen most frequently near water.) The disease occurs occasionally in the Middle Atlantic States, three provinces of Canada (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba), along the southern Great Lakes, and in Central America.

Protecting Your Dog Against Blastomycosis

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Spur the golden retriever is somewhat of a celebrity. The 4-year-old was featured at a recent veterinary conference for his amazing story of survival - battling a fungal disease called blastomycosis.

Chicago Dogs Diagnosed with Blastomycosis

CBS2 News reports on the heartbreaking story of three pet owners in Chicago whose dogs all tested positive for blastomycosis. Sadly, one dog passed away, one is blind, and another fortunately, survived what is being called the Chicago Disease. Owners need to be aware of blastomycosis, often found in moist soil.

Blastomycosis Cases Increasing in Western Suburbs and Parts of Chicago

Popularly known as the Chicago Disease or the Gilchrest’s Disease, Blastomycosis is a rare form of systemic mycosis affecting humans, cats, and some other animals. Rush University study indicates the number of blastomycosis cases reported in Illinois has been increasing in recent years. New constructions on farmlands in Western suburbs of Chicago may be a contributing factor for exposure.

A case-control study of sporadic canine blastomycosis in Tennessee

This study investigated environmental and host risk factors of canine blastomycosis in Knox County, Tennessee, USA. Data on 78 cases and 146 randomly selected controls were extracted from the medical database at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Teaching Hospital for the period 1977-1999.

Where Does Blastomyces Live? Researchers Able to Identify DNA in Environment

In 2006, researchers developed a DNA-based test that detected Blastomyces in soil near a kennel in Kentucky where dogs had previously been diagnosed with blastomycosis. Their findings suggest the fungus exists in small, localized environmental "hotspots" rather than being evenly distributed across forests or parks. This study helps explain why one dog may become infected while another nearby remains healthy and reinforces the importance of tracking confirmed cases to better understand where exposure occurs.

Common-Source Outbreak in Hunters and Their Dogs

This 1987 study documented a shared-source blastomycosis outbreak involving hunters and their dogs in Virginia, showing that humans and dogs can become infected after exposure to the same environment. The investigation is notable because it provides evidence of canine blastomycosis in Virginia and highlights how cases in dogs can help identify environmental exposure risks relevant to people as well. Published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the report reinforces that blastomycosis is not limited to the Upper Midwest and can occur in parts of the southeastern United States.