Definition

A disease caused by breathing in spores from a specific fungus, which can lead to flu-like symptoms or pneumonia, and may affect other parts of the body.

Example

Histoplasmosis can sometimes be mistaken for the flu due to its similar symptoms.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of histoplasmosis?

No, I haven't. What is it?

It's a disease caused by a fungus that you can get from breathing in spores.

That sounds serious! Are there any symptoms to watch out for?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Histoplasmosis is formed from "histos" (from Greek, meaning tissue) and "plasma" (from Greek, meaning formed or molded), combined with the suffix "-osis" (meaning condition or disease). The term refers to a disease caused by a fungus that affects the tissues of the body.

Memory Tip

Think of 'tissue' ('histos') being affected by a 'condition' ('-osis') related to a specific 'mold' or 'form' ('plasma') — that's how histoplasmosis describes a disease affecting body tissues.

Visually Confused Words