Risk factors for Histoplasmosis

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.Risk factors for histoplasmosis include:

• Having a job that puts you in contact with bird or bat droppings (such as an aviary)
• Being involved in activities that put you in contact with bird or bat droppings (such as cave exploration)
• Keeping birds as pets
• Living along river valleys
• Living in Mississippi, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, or Tennessee
• Living in eastern Canada, Mexico, Central or South America, southeast Asia, or Africa
• Having recently traveled to a location where histoplasmosis is common
• Having a medical condition that weakens your immune system (especially HIV )