Occupational Hazards From Deep Mycoses

The increased recognition of as an important cause of disease is translated into what appears as a high incidence of mycotic disease. The increase in mycoses associated with occupations may be due in part to better understanding of the pathogenesis of these infections. The fact that inhalation of sporecontaining dust is the mode of infection in histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, and probably cryptococcosis points to any major soil digging as a potential source of such infections. Spores ofSporothrix schenckiihave been found on timber, on the leaves of certain bushes, and in sphagnum moss; traumatic transcutaneous inoculation leading to sporotrichosis is well established. A connection exists between pigeons and the occurrence of cryptococcosis, and between bats and birds and histoplasmosis. LABORATORY INFECTIONS A special chapter in occupational disease caused by deep fungi is that associated with laboratory exposure; inhalation of culture material and traumatic transcutaneous inoculations have