Sketchy Microbiology: Blastomycoses Dermatidis

Blast of the Cannon — Blastomycoses Dermatidis

Map — Geographic distribution of Blastomycosis generally matches the locations of civil war battles, southern and southeastern United States. Buzz word "Great lakes and Ohio River Valley"

Valley and River — Reminder of Ohio River Valley

Dimorphic Butterfly — Mold in the “Cold” and Yeast in the “Heat”

Cannon firing + Smoke — Spores transmitted via inhalation (which is why the soldier on the side of the cannon is coughing)

Cannon Balls fused together in pairs — Broad Based Budding, commonly seen on histo slides, (Blastomycose is typically the same size as RBCs)

Lungs in the Valley — Blastomycosis on chest X-ray has patchy alveolar infiltrate

Landing sites of cannon balls — Lesions in the lungs

Damaged Statue — Systemic infection

Iron rod in statue — Bone involvement; osteomyelitis, Damages skin and bones

Yellow river — Can be detected with a KOH prep, or with a Urine Antigen test

Frogs — Treat systemic infection with Amphotericin B

(Immunocompetent patients — treat with Iitraconazole)