Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- 170 Candidiasis
- 171 Aspergillosis
- 172 Zygomycosis (Mucormycosis)
- 173 Sporotrichosis
- 174 Cryptococcus
- 175 Histoplasmosis
- 176 Blastomycosis
- 177 Coccidioidomycosis
- 178 Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- 179 Miscellaneous Fungi and Algae
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
177 - Coccidioidomycosis
from Part XXII - Specific Organisms – Fungi
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- 170 Candidiasis
- 171 Aspergillosis
- 172 Zygomycosis (Mucormycosis)
- 173 Sporotrichosis
- 174 Cryptococcus
- 175 Histoplasmosis
- 176 Blastomycosis
- 177 Coccidioidomycosis
- 178 Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- 179 Miscellaneous Fungi and Algae
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
Summary
BACKGROUND
Coccidioidomycosis, first described over a century ago by Alejandro Posadas, is a disease of protean manifestations endemic primarily to ecologic regions of the Western Hemisphere characterized as the Lower Sonoran Life Zone. This includes areas in the southwestern United States (California, Arizona, western Texas, and selected areas of New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah), northern Mexico, and scattered foci in Central and South America. Within these general endemic areas the incidence of coccidioidomycosis may vary significantly due to geographic pockets and climatic conditions particularly favorable for infection. The etiologic agent, classically known as Coccidioides immitis, is a dimorphic fungus that grows in its soil reservoir in the mycelial (mould) phase. Under appropriate conditions, infectious spores, dubbed arthroconidia, disarticulate from mycelia and are carried airborne and inhaled, reaching the alveoli of the host. There the organism converts to the parasitic spherule phase, which reproduces by a process characteristic of Coccidioides species known as endosporulation. Infection usually is controlled locally and confined to the site(s) of initial alveolar implantation. In some cases, such as if the infecting inoculum is large and or the host is unable to mount an effective immune response, a chronic pulmonary infection may result or infection may go on to spread within the thorax or distantly, via the lymphatics and bloodstream. Disseminated (extrapulmonary) infection, especially when it involves the meninges, carries with it considerable potential for morbidity and mortality and therefore must always be treated.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Clinical Infectious Disease , pp. 1219 - 1228Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
- 1
- Cited by