Complications

Histoplasmosis can cause a number of serious complications, even in otherwise healthy people. For infants, older adults and people with compromised immune systems, the potential problems are often life-threatening.

Complications can include:

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome. Histoplasmosis can damage lungs to the point that the air sacs begin filling with fluid. This prevents good air exchange and can deplete the oxygen in your blood.
• Heart problems. Inflammation of the sac that surrounds your heart (pericardium) is called pericarditis. When the fluid in this sac increases, it can interfere with the heart's ability to pump blood.
• Adrenal insufficiency. Histoplasmosis can harm your adrenal glands, which produce hormones that give instructions to virtually every organ and tissue in your body.
• Meningitis. In some cases, histoplasmosis can cause this inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord.