Histoplasma capsulatum is found in bat droppings, generally known as guano. If the bat guano dries out and becomes airborne, inhaling it can cause histoplasmosis, a lung illness. Histoplasmosis can be lethal if it spreads beyond the lungs and into the rest of the body. There are cases on record of people dying from histoplasmosis that had no connection to histoplasma fungus but rather from infection spreading through their bodies. People who work with dried bat guano or eat raw meat may be at risk for contracting this disease. The best protection against histoplasmosis is proper hygiene-including washing your hands after being in areas where bats live and avoiding contact with urine or feces while hiking-and knowing when to seek medical attention. The diagnosis of histoplasmosis is based on results of laboratory tests and clinical findings. There are two types of histoplasmosis: chronic and acute. With chronic histoplasmosis, symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue. People with chronic histoplasmosis need to have blood tests to determine whether they are immune to the disease. Those who are not immune may require treatment with medications such as steroids or antibiotics. Acute histoplasmosis can be severe and lead to hospitalization. Symptoms include fever, headache, stomach pain, chills, cough, shortness of breath, and muscle pain.