Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

Which work environment is particularly associated with histoplasmosis risk?

1. Construction sites

2. Indoor offices

3. Barns and chicken houses

4. Laboratories

The correct answer is: Barns and chicken houses

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by inhaling spores of the Histoplasma capsulatum fungus, which is often found in environments with a lot of bird or bat droppings. This makes barns and chicken houses particularly associated with a higher risk of histoplasmosis. The droppings provide a nutrient-rich medium for the fungus to grow, and when disturbed—such as during cleaning or renovations—these spores can become airborne and inhaled by workers. While construction sites could potentially expose workers to various fungal spores, the specific association with histoplasmosis is much stronger in environments where bird and bat droppings are prevalent. Indoor offices and laboratories, on the other hand, do not typically present the same kind of exposure to the Histoplasma fungus, making barns and chicken houses the most indicative work environment for this particular risk.