Anyone can get histoplasmosis. Infants, young children, elderly persons, and people with chronic lung disease, cancer or AIDS are at increased risk for severe disease. Occupations and hobbies such as those listed below increase your risk for exposure to Histoplasma capsulatum spores. If you perform any of these activities, you should take appropriate exposure precautions whenever contaminated soil, bat droppings, or bird droppings are disturbed. If you develop flu-like symptoms days or even weeks after disturbing material that might be contaminated with Histoplasma capsulatum, and the illness gets worse rather than subsiding after a few days, seek medical care and inform the health care provider about your exposure.
Most infected persons have no apparent ill effects.
If symptoms occur, they will start within 3 to 17 days after exposure. Histoplasmosis primarily affects the lungs. Symptoms may include respiratory symptoms, a general ill feeling, fever, chest pains, and a dry or nonproductive cough. Occasionally, other organs are affected. This form of the disease is called disseminated histoplasmosis, and can be fatal if untreated.