Living With Bats

Other Diseases

While bats are associated with a number of diseases in other parts of the world, bats in Alaska are relatively free of diseases that pose threats to human health.

Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease caused by a fungus that grows in soil enriched by bird and sometimes bat droppings. Lung infection can occur. The symptoms of Histoplasmosis are similar to pneumonia and the infection can become serious if not fatal if left untreated. Most human cases are found in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and adjacent areas where warm, humid conditions favor fungal growth. Cases of Histoplasmosis from bats have NOT occurred in Alaska.

For more information on Histoplasmosis: