Histoplasmosis is a potentially lethal condition that can develop when cats inhale spores from the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. This fungus occurs naturally in soils that also contain bird and bat manure, and it is especially prevalent in areas around the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys.
Histoplasmosis can be a very difficult disease to diagnose, and the condition can be deadly. The good news is that once the disease has been identified it can be successfully, and permanently, treated. In cases where the fungus has spread throughout the body, also known as disseminated histoplasmosis, the standard treatment is the antifungal medication itraconazole.