Blastomyces dermatitidus Blastomyces dermatitidus causes blastomycosis, a disease which is predominantly found in the north central and eastern United States. This malady is also known as Gilchrist's disease and Chicago disease.
Entry is through the upper respiratory tract, but can spread to other locations.
Males are much more susceptible to this progressive disease than females. Like other fungi pathogenic for man, this fungi exhibits dimorphism, existing in one form in nature and another when causing infection.