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Volume 32, Number 3—March 2026

CME ACTIVITY - Research

Blastomyces Urine Antigen Testing for Active Case Identification During a Blastomycosis Outbreak

Allyson W. O’Connor1, Ian Hennessee1, Perri C. Callaway, Marcia L. Stanton, Xiaoming Liang, Ju-Hyeong Park, Ryan LeBouf, Rachel L. Bailey, Rebecca Reik, Mary Grace Stobierski, Michael Snyder, Robert Yin, Mitsuru TodaComments to Author , Jean Cox-Ganser, and Stella E. Hines
Author affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA (A.W. O'Connor, P.C. Callaway, M.L. Stanton, X. Liang, J.-H. Park, R. LeBouf, R.L. Bailey, J. Cox-Ganser, S.E. Hines); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (I. Hennessee, P.C. Callaway, M. Toda); Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, Michigan, USA (R. Reik, M.G. Stobierski); Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties, Escanaba, Michigan, USA (M. Snyder, R. Yin)

Main Article

Table 1

Characteristics of employees by UAT result from a medical survey conducted in a study of Blastomyces urine antigen testing for active case identification during a blastomycosis outbreak, United States*

Characteristic Total, n = 573 Positive UAT, n = 52 Negative UAT, n = 521 p value†
Median age, years (IQR)
 47 (38–53)
 46 (38–53)
 47 (38–54)
 0.42
Sex
M 470 (82) 44 (85) 426 (82) 0.61
F
 103 (18)
 8 (15)
 95 (18)
Recent blastomycosis diagnosis‡
Yes 71 (12) 27 (52) 44 (8) <0.001
No 502 (88) 25 (48) 477 (92)

*Values are no. (%) except as indicated. Numbers might not reach column total because of missing responses. UAT, urine antigen test; IQR, interquartile range. †Wilcoxon rank sum tests for continuous variables and Pearson χ2 tests or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables were used to test differences by urine antigen test result. ‡Recent diagnosis of blastomycosis included employees the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified as having confirmed or probable blastomycosis during the paper mill outbreak as of April 21, 2023, or self-reported healthcare provider-diagnosed blastomycosis on the medical survey questionnaire.

Main Article

1These first authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: February 13, 2026
Page updated: March 20, 2026
Page reviewed: March 20, 2026
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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