Relationship of Histoplasma capsulatum to Avian Habitats: A Review

FOLLOWING the discovery of the benign form of histoplasmosis by Christie and Pe- terson in 1945 (1), a great deal of progress has been made in gaining knowledge concerning this disease.In f act, so much has been learned that one of the greatest current difficulties is how to acquaint a larger number of physicians and diagnostic laboratories with the wealth of in¬ formation on hand so that it can be used effectively.Histoplasmosis is a pulmonary disease caused by the mold, Histoplasma capsulatum.This disease develops basically in one of four differ¬ ent forms (2).Its most prevalent manifesta- tion is that of an asymptomatic, benign lung infection.Skin-test surveys have shown that in the principal endemic areas, such as the Mis- sissippi-Ohio Kiver basin of the United States, 80-90 percent of the population has been in¬ fected.A relatively smaller number of persons, about 10 percent, who inhale the airborne spores of H. capsulatum, develop a pulmonary infec¬ tion that is not self-limited and which spreads internally.This disseminated form of histo¬ plasmosis is potentially fatal unless it is promptly diagnosed and specific chemotherapy is initiated.Chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis is a re- Dr.