acute infection
Last reviewed 01/2018
- 60% of patients have no symptoms or those indistinguishable from an upper respiratory tract infection.
- some patients develop symptoms resembling a lower respiratory tract infection. These generally develop 3 weeks after exposure to the arthrospores and may be accompanied by features such as fever, sweating, anorexia, weakness, arthralgia and chest pain. The patient may have a productive cough.
- acute infection almost resolves without specific therapy - it may however last for several weeks.
- symptomatic extrapulmonary disease may occur (in about 0.5% of cases) - common sites are bone and joints, skin, soft tissues, and the meninges. Disseminated disease is most common in men, pregnant women, the immuno - compromised , and nonwhite people.