Abstract
Most studies of endemic blastomycosis and outbreaks have involved rural areas. Case homesites in rural Northern Wisconsin have been associated with waterways and sand soils. ARC-GIS was used to geocode addresses and to observe geographic features of homesites from 45 State-mandated reports of human blastomycosis in urban Milwaukee County, Southeastern Wisconsin 2000–2004. Each case property was directly observed, and houses and duplexes (N = 38) were compared with 151 same-street control homesites. Categorical data was analyzed using a chi-square or Fisher’s exact test; continuous variables by Kruskal–Wallis test. One case cluster was seen on Milwaukee’s North side where the estimated annual incidence was 2.8/100,000 compared to 0.96/100,000 for the entire county. Cases were less common in the most urbanized watersheds (0.49/100,000/yr) versus Lake Michigan shores (0.85) versus remaining three open watersheds (1.4) [P<0.01]. Case homesites averaged 1067 m to waterways and none were on sand soils. (Comparison is made to a Northern Wisconsin community where case homesites averaged 354 m to waterways, 24/25 were on sand soils and annual incidence was 74/100,000.) No unique features of case homesites were identified in Milwaukee County. In this urban area of Wisconsin, relatively low incidence rates may be explained, in part, by lower density of inland waterways and lack of sand soils, however, blastomycosis cases appear to be associated with open watersheds.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
A Restrepo DJ Baumgardner E Bagagli et al. (2000) ArticleTitleClues to the presence of pathogenic fungi in certain environments Med. Mycol. 38 IssueIDSuppl 1 67–77 Occurrence Handle11204166
AF DiSalvo (1992) The ecology of B. dermatitidis Y Al-Doory AF DiSalvo (Eds) Blastomycosis Plenum New York 43–73
AF DiSalvo (1992) The epidemiology of blastomycosis Y Al-Doory AF DiSalvo (Eds) Blastomycosis Plenum New York 75–104
BS Klein JM Vergeront RJ Weeks et al. (1986) ArticleTitleIsolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis in soil associated with a large outbreak of blastomycosis in Wisconsin New. Engl. J. Med. 314 529–534 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL287hvVGqsA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle3945290 Occurrence Handle10.1056/NEJM198602273140901
DJ Baumgardner BP Buggy BJ Mattson JS Burdick D Ludwig (1992) ArticleTitleEpidemiology of blastomycosis in a region of high endemicity in north central Wisconsin Clin. Infect. Dis. 15 629–635 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3s%2Fkt1CisQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle1420675
DJ Baumgardner DP Paretsky AC Yopp (1995) ArticleTitleThe epidemiology of blastomycosis in dogs: North central Wisconsin, USA J. Med. Vet. Mycol. 33 171–176 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2MzpsFOisQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle7666297
DJ Baumgardner DP Paretsky (1999) ArticleTitleThe in vitro isolation Blastomyces dermatitidis from a woodpile in north central Wisconsin, USA Med. Mycol. 37 163–168 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-280X.1999.00214.x Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1Mzlt1CltQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10421847
DJ Baumgardner K Brockman (1998) ArticleTitleEpidemiology of human blastomycosis in Vilas County,Wisconsin II: 1991–1996 Wis. Med. J. 97 44–47 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c3otVaqtw%3D%3D
DJ Baumgardner D Steber R Glazier DP Paretsky G Egan AM Baumgardner D Prigge (2005) ArticleTitleGeographic information system analysis of blastomycosis in northern Wisconsin USA: Waterways and soil Med. Mycol. 43 117–125 Occurrence Handle10.1080/13693780410001731529 Occurrence Handle15832555
JE Vasquez JB Meha R Agrawal FA Sarubbi (1998) ArticleTitleBlastomycosis in northeast Tennessee Chest 114 436–443 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1czptlehug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9726727
PJ Dwight M Nau P Sarfield B Limerick (2000) ArticleTitleAn outbreak of human blastomycosis: The epidemiology of blastomycosis in the Kenora catchment region of Ontario, Canada Can. Commun. Dis. Rep. 26 82–91 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3czosVensg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10893821
MV Cano GF Ponce-de-Leon S Tippen MD Lindsley M Warwick RA Hajjeh (2003) ArticleTitleBlastomycosis in Missouri: Epidemiology and risk factors for endemic disease Epidemiol. Infect. 131 IssueID2 907–914 Occurrence Handle10.1017/S0950268803008987 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3srhvVWqsQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle14596532
ME Proctor BS Klein JM Jones JP Davis (2002) ArticleTitleCluster of pulmonary blastomycosis in a rural community: Evidence for multiple high-risk environmental foci following a sustained period of diminished precipitation Mycopathologia 153 113–120 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1014515230994 Occurrence Handle11998870
DJ Baumgardner DP Paretsky (2001) ArticleTitleBlastomycosis: More evidence for exposure near one’s domicile Wis. Med. J. 100 IssueID7 43–45 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38%2FovVehug%3D%3D
PW Lowry KY Kelso LM McFarland (1989) ArticleTitleBlastomycosis in Washington Parish, Louisiana, 1976–1985 Am. J. Epidemiol. 130 151–159 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL1MzgtVOitQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle2787106
KA Arceneaux J Taboada G Hosgood (1998) ArticleTitleBlastomycosis in dogs: 115 cases (1980–1995) J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 213 658–664 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1cvgtFCjsA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9731260
SW Chapman AC Lin KA Hendricks et al. (1997) ArticleTitleEndemic blastomycosis in Mississippi: Epidemiological and clinic studies Semin. Respir. Infect. 12 219–228 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2svlvVCksQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9313293
MS Kitchen CD Reiber GB Eastin (1977) ArticleTitleAn urban epidemic of North American blastomycosis Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 115 1063–1066 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL3M3jtVGjsw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle262101
D Lee S Eapren J VanBuren P Jones DJ Baumgardner (2006) ArticleTitleA young man who could not walk Wis. Med. J. 105 IssueID1 58–61
L Walker (1981) American Shelter Overlook Press Woodstock NY
A Kurta (1995) Mammals of the Great Lakes Region, rev. ed University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor
DJ Baumgardner R Summerbell S Krajden I Alexopoulous B Agrawal M Bergeson et al. (2005) ArticleTitleAttempted isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from native shrews in northern Wisconsin, USA Med. Mycol. 43 413–416 Occurrence Handle10.1080/13693780410001731529 Occurrence Handle16178369
GP Roussere WJ Murray CB Raudenbush MJ Kutilek DJ Levee KR Kazacos (2003) ArticleTitleRaccoon roundworm eggs near homes and risk for larva migrans disease, California communities Emerg. Infect. Dis. 9 IssueID12 1516–1522 Occurrence Handle14720389
AC Manetti (1991) ArticleTitleHyperendemic urban blastomycosis Am. J. Public Health 81 633–636 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3M7ps1yitg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle2014867 Occurrence Handle10.2105/AJPH.81.5.633
RH Dott SuffixJr JW Attig (2004) Roadside Geology of Wisconsin Mountain Press Missoula MT
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baumgardner, D.J., Knavel, E.M., Steber, D. et al. Geographic Distribution of Human Blastomycosis Cases in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA: Association with Urban Watersheds. Mycopathologia 161, 275–282 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-006-0018-9
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-006-0018-9