Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Blastomycosis: 2008 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America

Abstract

Evidence-based guidelines for the management of patients with blastomycosis were prepared by an Expert Panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. These updated guidelines replace the previous management guidelines published in the April 2000 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. The guidelines are intended for use by health care providers who care for patients who have blastomycosis. Since 2000, several new antifungal agents have become available, and blastomycosis has been noted more frequently among immunosuppressed patients. New information, based on publications between 2000 and 2006, is incorporated in this guideline document, and recommendations for treating children with blastomycosis have been noted. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Blastomycosis refers to disease caused by the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. This infection occurs most often in persons living in midwestern, south-eastern, and south central United States and the Ca-nadian provinces that border the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Recent reports have shown an increase in the incidence of blastomycosis in some of these regions