Are immunosuppressed patients at increased risk of disseminated disease with blastomycosis?

Blastomycosis, unlike other deep fungal infections (cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, mucormycosis, penicilliosis, and aspergillosis), behaves, less commonly, as an opportunistic infection in the immunosuppressed host. There are, however, several reports of disseminated blastomycosis in AIDS patients, organ transplant recipients, diabetics, and patients receiving glucocorticosteroids and chemotherapy.

Lemos LB, Baliga M, Guo M: Blastomycosis: the great pretender can also be an opportunist. Initial clinical diagnosis and underlying diseases in 123 patients, Ann Diagn Pathol 6:194–203, 2002.