The nurse is preparing educational materials about histoplasmosis for a group of nursing students. Which teaching point is appropriate for the nurse to include?

Question

The nurse is preparing educational materials about histoplasmosis for a group of nursing students.  Which teaching point is appropriate for the nurse to include?

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11ecbb05_c9f6_fb93_b433_a190df4c9c5a_MD0009_00 Histoplasmosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that most commonly occurs in clients with compromised immunity due to medical conditions (eg, HIV, malnutrition) or immunosuppressant medications (eg, TNF-α inhibitors [infliximab], corticosteroids [prednisone]) (Option D). Histoplasmosis infection results from inhaling Histoplasma capsulatum spores that are typically found in soil that contains bird or bat droppings. In most clients, histoplasmosis infection is either asymptomatic or results in mild, pneumonialike symptoms (eg, fatigue, fever, dyspnea, cough). However, clients with substantial or recurrent exposure to Histoplasma capsulatum spores or who are immunocompromised may develop chronic pulmonary infection or disseminated infection, which requires treatment and/or hospitalization. (Option A) Kaposi sarcoma, not histoplasmosis, is a form of cancer typically affecting immunocompromised clients who are infected with human herpesvirus 8. Kaposi sarcoma is commonly identified when immunocompromised clients develop pink or purple lesions all over the skin. (Option B) Histoplasmosis infection is typically asymptomatic or self-limiting and usually does not require treatment. (Option C) Unlike tuberculosis and other airborne infectious diseases (eg, measles, varicella, herpes zoster), histoplasmosis is not spread by breathing microbes expelled into the air by infected individuals. Educational objective: Histoplasmosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that results when fungal spores from soil that contains bird or bat droppings is inhaled. Histoplasmosis is usually asymptomatic or mild, but can result in widespread, life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals.

The Nurse Is Preparing Educational Materials About Histoplasmosis for a Group