What does Blasto mean in medical terms?

a combining form meaning bud, sprout, embryo, formative cells or cell layer, used in the formation of compound words: blastosphere.

Do cats get Blasto?

A cat can get blastomycosis simply by inhaling the fungus that is hidden in the soil. The fungus travels to the lungs and can then spread to the rest of the body. It is important to bring your cat to a veterinarian as quickly as possible if he has blastomycosis.

Who voiced captain Blasto?

Phil Hartman Phil Hartman voiced Captain Blasto, an extremely muscular, alien-fighting, dimwitted captain.

How do they test for blastomycosis in dogs?

Since the organism is usually shed in large numbers in the draining lesions, blastomycosis may be diagnosed in the office with cytology. There is also a screening blood test called an agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test that can be used to determine potential exposure.

What are the symptoms of blastomycosis?

Symptoms of Blastomycosis

Is Blasto in dogs contagious?

Pets, particularly dogs, can get blastomycosis, but it is not contagious between animals and people. The symptoms of blastomycosis in animals are similar to the symptoms in humans.

What is Blasto cat?

Blastomycosis in cats requires veterinary care and can be life-threatening if not properly treated. Blastomycosis is a non-contagious fungal infection caused by inhalation of or exposure to spores of the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis.

In what part of the United States is blastomycosis endemic?

Blastomycosis. Blastomycosis is considered endemic to the south-central, southeastern, and midwestern US states, particularly those bordering the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and in parts of the United States and Canada surrounding the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River (2,5).

What does blastomycosis do to your body?

Blastomycosis is an infectious disease characterized by fever, chills, headaches, chest pain, weight loss, night sweats, cough, and/or difficulty breathing (dyspnea). Some affected individuals do not experience these symptoms although they are actively infected (asymptomatic).

What are symptoms of Blasto in dogs?

Recognizing Signs of Blastomycosis

How do I stop my dog from getting Blasto?

There is no vaccine to prevent blastomycosis in dogs. If you live or spend time in high-risk regions, this will likely be difficult, but you should at least try to stay away from dark, dense areas where the fungus thrives, especially if your pet’s immune system is already weakened.

How do you treat Blasto in dogs?

Treatment of blastomycosis requires long-term antifungal medications (i.e. average 2-6 months of therapy). Itraconazole or fluconazole are most commonly used. Some dogs may need to be hospitalized initially to help control some of their more severe symptoms.

Is blastomycosis serious?

Blastomycosis is an uncommon, but potentially serious fungal infection. It primarily affects the lungs, and is caused by the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. The signs and symptoms of illness that can result from exposure to this soil organism are variable. Approximately 50% of people who are infected with B.

How do you get Blasto?

Blastomycosis is usually caused by inhaling airborne spores from contaminated soil into the lungs. Spores are more likely to be airborne after contaminated soil is disturbed by activities such as excavation, construction, digging, or wood clearing.

What is a Blasto test?

Diagnosis and testing for Blastomycosis A doctor will likely test for blastomycosis by taking a blood sample or a urine sample and sending it to a laboratory. Healthcare providers may do imaging tests such as chest x-rays or CT scans of your lungs.

Is Blasto treatable?

How is blastomycosis treated? Most people will need antifungal treatment for blastomycosis. Most people with blastomycosis will need treatment with prescription antifungal medication. Itraconazole is a type of antifungal medication that is typically used to treat mild to moderate blastomycosis.

Can dogs get Blasto in the winter?

Previously, no consistent seasonality has been associated with blastomycosis [1622]; however, predominant winter/fall onset of localized pulmonary cases (which suggested warmer weather exposure to the investigators due to incubation period) has recently been reported from a portion of Canada typified by very cold …

Can humans get Blasto?

People can get blastomycosis after breathing in the microscopic fungal spores from the air. Although most people who breathe in the spores don’t get sick, some people will develop symptoms like fever and cough, and the infection can sometimes become serious if it is not treated.

How fast does dog blastomycosis spread?

Infection with Blastomyces occurs when a cat or dog inhales the fungal spores into the lungs, usually by digging in the soil. The incubation period (time between exposure and development of signs) is from 5 to 12 weeks. The disease spreads most commonly from the lungs to the rest of the body.

What is Rhinosporidiosis?

Rhinosporidiosis is chronic granulomatous parasitic infection caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi. The organism is now classified under mesomycetozoa as a parasite. It predominantly affects mucous membrane of nose and nasopharynx but other sites are also involved.

What type of infection is histoplasmosis?

Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Histoplasma. The fungus lives in the environment, particularly in soil that contains large amounts of bird or bat droppings.

What does blastomycosis look like on xray?

This is the most common presentation of blastomycosis. Lung opacities may be patchy or confluent and subsegmental or nonsegmental. Chest radiograph demonstrates a spiculated mass overlying the left hilum. This radiographic finding mimics that of bronchogenic carcinoma; thus, a biopsy is needed for tissue diagnosis.

What is the mortality rate of blastomycosis?

Mortality associated with blastomycosis is rare, with an estimated age-adjusted mortality rate of 0.21 per 1 million person-years (2).

Can blastomycosis be fatal?

Blastomycosis is a potentially fatal fungal infection endemic to parts of North America.

Can blastomycosis cause pneumonia?

Blastomyces enters the body through the lungs and causes a lung infection, usually pneumonia. From the lungs, the fungus can spread to other areas of the body including your skin, bones, joints and central nervous system. This disease is rare and more commonly affects people involved with outdoor activities.

Can blastomycosis come back?

Relapse or recurrence of blastomycosis in patients is rare, and varies by the therapeutic agent, length of treatment, and immune capacity of the patient [3], [4]. Successful blastomycosis treatment in patients, without death or relapse, is achieved in 8095% of cases [3], [5].

What do blastomycosis lesions look like?

Papules, pustules, or nodules are most frequently found on exposed body areas. They may look like warts or ulcers. They are usually painless. They may vary from gray to violet in color.