24: The Fungus Among Us

Public Health Review

In the United States, three main types of fungi—coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis—can cause lung infections like pneumonia when people breathe in fungal spores from the air. Depending on where you live, you may be more likely to come in contact with one of these fungi. Some fungal diseases go undiagnosed and cause serious infections in people in the United States and around the world, leading to illness and death. Increased awareness about fungal diseases is one of the most important ways we can improve early recognition and reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment. In this episode, in honor of Fungal Disease Awareness Week, Tom Chiller from CDC’s Mycotic Diseases Branch, and Kristen Ehresmann, director at the Minnesota Department of Health’s Infectious Disease Epidemiology department, talk about the risks of endemic fungal diseases.

Guests:

• Tom Chiller, MD, MPHTM, chief of the mycotic diseases branch, CDC
• Kristen Ehresmann, director of the infectious disease epidemiology, prevention, and control division, Minnesota Department of Health

Resources:

• CDC’s Fungal Disease Awareness page
• CDC Fungal Disease Personal Stories