Pulmonary histoplasmosis. A possible risk in people who cut decayed wood.

We report three unrelated outbreaks of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis associated with cutting and gathering firewood in Minnesota. Clinical symptoms and laboratory findings from nine patients are reported. All recovered without treatment.

Hepatorenal syndrome. Recovery after peritoneovenous shunt.

The renal failure in the hepatorenal syndrome is unusual because the kidneys are histologically normal and the renal failure may be "functional." Hemodynamic studies indicate that increased renal vascular resistance and decreased renal blood flow may be the primary abnormalities leading to renal failure in some cases. This report describes a patient whose renal failure resolved after placement of a peritoneovenous shunt.