infections
Overview of Fungal Infections
Primary fungal infections
Primary fungal infections can occur in people with a normal immune system, sometimes with serious consequences. These infections usually occur after people inhale fungal spores, which can cause pneumonia to develop in the lungs as the first sign of infection. Certain primary fungal infections are more common in certain geographic areas, as in the following examples: Histoplasmosis is especially common in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, central New York, and Texas in the United States. It also occurs in parts of Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Blastomycosis is particularly common in the eastern and central United States. It also occurs in Africa and in the Saint Lawrence River valley of Canada. Coccidioidomycosis occurs almost exclusively in the Southwest and in Washington state in the United States and in northern Mexico and Central and South America. Paracoccidioidomycosis occurs mainly in South America. The time from transmission to development of an infection varies, so travelers may develop symptoms after returning from these areas. Because many primary fungal infections develop slowly, months or years may pass before people seek medical attention. Typically, if the immune system is normal, fungal infections do not spread to organs deep in the body. 