Study Shows Increasing Incidence of Fungal Infection in the Region

A retrospective study led by researchers from Albany Medical College, in collaboration with scientists from the New York State Department of Health and the University at Albany, found that the incidence of blastomycosis is increasing in the Capital Region.

Blastomycosis is a severe fungal infection caused by breathing in spores from the fungi Blastomyces, found in moist soil and decaying wood. It is not contagious and, when it’s caught early, can be successfully treated with antifungal medications.

However, because it causes skin lesions and symptoms similar to flu or pneumonia, it is often misdiagnosed and treatment is delayed. Historically, it has been most common in areas surrounding the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys and the Great Lakes.

The study’s authors examined pathology and microbiology records of Albany Medical Center patients diagnosed with blastomycosis over a 24-year span, from January 2000 to December 2024.

They found that while blastomycosis is still rare in the region—only 54 patients with a confirmed diagnosis were identified during the study period—the number of cases rose substantially during the study years. The most pronounced rise occurred in 2024; a higher concentration of cases was observed in regions near the Mohawk River.

“Our results strongly indicate that upstate New York represents a new emerging endemic area for blastomycosis, and physicians in the region should consider this when pulmonary symptoms are accompanied by cutaneous findings,” said senior author and pulmonologist Amit Chopra, MD, professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Albany Medical Center.

The study was published in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.