Histoplasmosis primary prevention

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Prevention of histoplasma infection is to avoid activities that disturbing material (for example, digging in soil or chopping wood) where there are bird or bat droppings are present, cleaning chicken coops, exploring caves, leaning, remodeling, or tearing down old buildings. Minimizing the exposure to infective material is the best preventive measure to reduce the risk of histoplasma infection.

Primary Prevention

• It is not practical to test or decontaminate most sites that may be contaminated with H. capsulatum, but the following precautions can be taken to reduce a person's risk of exposure:
• Avoid areas that may harbor the fungus, e.g., accumulations of bird or bat droppings.
• Before starting a job or activity having a risk for exposure to H. capsulatum, consult the NIOSH/NCID Document Histoplasmosis: Protecting Workers at Risk. This document contains information on work practices and personal protective equipment that will reduce the risk of infection.
• People who have weakened immune systems (for example, by HIV/AIDS, an organ transplant, or medications such as corticosteroids or TNF-inhibitors) should avoid doing activities that are known to be associated with getting histoplasmosis, which include:
  • Disturbing material (for example, digging in soil or chopping wood) where there are bird or bat droppings
  • Cleaning chicken coops
  • Exploring caves
  • Cleaning, remodeling, or tearing down old buildings