ABSTRACT
Abstract Coccidioidomycosis is caused by Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii fungi, which are endemic in certain locations in the American continent. They produce an asymptomatic infection in the majority of the exposed population, and in a lower proportion, a self-limited influenza-like illness, pneumonia or dissemination. Skin compromise could be secondary to the infection by the fungus or by a hypersensitivity reaction to the pulmonary infection. Primary skin compromise produces a chancriform, self-limited lesion, and the dissemination to the skin commonly produces nodules and abscesses, with a tendency to form fistulas. The most common hypersensitivity reaction is erythema nodosum, which is considered a marker of good prognosis. Treatment depends on the localization of the infection, the presence of dissemination, and the clinical conditions of the patient.
Resumen La coccidioidomicosis es causada por los hongos Coccidioides immitis y Coccidioides posadasii, los cuales son endémicos en determinadas localizaciones del continente americano. Producen infección asintomática en la mayoría de expuestos y en menor proporción cuadros gripales autolimitados, neumonía o diseminación. El compromiso en piel puede ser secundario a la infección por el hongo o por una reacción de hipersensibilidad a la infección pulmonar. El compromiso primario en piel produce una lesión chancreiforme, autolimitada y la diseminación a piel produce comúnmente nódulos y abscesos, con tendencia a la fistulización. La reacción de hipersensibilidad más común es el eritema nodoso, considerándose un marcador de buen pronóstico. El tratamiento depende de la localización de la infección, la presencia de diseminación y las condiciones clínicas del paciente.
ABSTRACT
This review investigates ancient infectious diseases in the Americas dated to the pre-colonial period and considers what these findings can tell us about the history of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It gives an overview, but focuses on four microbial pathogens from this period: Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Trypanosoma cruzi and Coccidioides immitis, which cause stomach ulceration and gastric cancer, tuberculosis, Chagas disease and valley fever, respectively. These pathogens were selected as H. pylori can give insight into ancient human migrations into the Americas, M. tuberculosis is associated with population density and urban development, T. cruzi can elucidate human living conditions and C. immitis can indicate agricultural development. A range of methods are used to diagnose infectious disease in ancient human remains, with DNA analysis by polymerase chain reaction one of the most reliable, provided strict precautions are taken against cross contamination. The review concludes with a brief summary of the changes that took place after European exploration and colonisation.
Subject(s)
History, Ancient , Humans , DNA, Bacterial/isolation & purification , DNA, Protozoan/isolation & purification , Population Groups/history , Americas/ethnology , Chagas Disease/diagnosis , Chagas Disease/history , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Coccidioides/isolation & purification , Coccidioidomycosis/diagnosis , Coccidioidomycosis/history , Coccidioidomycosis/microbiology , Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis , Helicobacter Infections/history , Helicobacter Infections/microbiology , Helicobacter pylori/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification , Paleontology , Trypanosoma cruzi/isolation & purification , Tuberculosis/diagnosis , Tuberculosis/historyABSTRACT
La coccidioidomicosis es una micosis endémica en el sudoeste de los Estados Unidos, México y ciertas áreas de centro y Sudamérica. Los agentes causales son hongos del género Coccidioides. La infección primaria, habitualmente, involucra los pulmones, ocurriendo su diseminación en menos de 1 por ciento de los casos. Si bien la enfermedad extrapulmonar, usualmente, involucra la piel, el sistema nervioso central, los huesos y las articulaciones, tiene la capacidad de infectar cualquier órgano o tejido. Presentamos un caso de coccidioidomicosis extrapulmonar en un paciente masculino, con 20 años de edad, cuyo diagnóstico se estableció en una biopsia de ganglio linfático. La historia clínica no fue relevante y la biopsia se realizó debido a los hallazgos físicos sugerentes de linfoma.
Coccidioidomycosis is a deep mycotic infection endemic in the Southwestern part of the United States and Mexico and certain areas of Central and South America. The causative agents are fungi of the genus Coccidioides. Primary infection usually involves the lungs, and dissemination occurs in less than 1 percent of cases. While the extrapulmonary disease usually involves the skin, central nervous system, bones or joints, it can involve any tissue or organ. We present a case of extrapulmonary coccidioidomycosis in a 20-year-old male, in whom the diagnosis was made by a lymph node biopsy. His past history was not significant and the biopsy was performed because the physical findings were suggestive of lymphoma.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Coccidioides/isolation & purification , Coccidioidomycosis/pathology , Lymph Nodes/microbiology , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/pathology , Biopsy , Diagnosis, Differential , Lymph Nodes/pathologyABSTRACT
Coccidioidomycosis results from inhaling the spores (arthroconidia) of Coccidioides species (Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii), and is endemic in the southern United States. An even smaller proportion of all infections result in illnesses related to extrapulmonary infection. We report a case of coccidioidomycosis manifested as pelvic bone and paravertebral abscess in a Korean who has visited LA. Culture and pathology from the pelvic bone and paravertebral mass revealed Coccidioides immitis, and a diagnosis of disseminated coccidioidomycosis was made.
Subject(s)
Abscess , Coccidioides , Coccidioidomycosis , Diagnosis , Inhalation , Pathology , Pelvic Bones , Spores , United StatesABSTRACT
Coccidioidomycosis results from inhaling the spores (arthroconidia) of Coccidioides species (Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii), and is endemic in the southern United States. An even smaller proportion of all infections result in illnesses related to extrapulmonary infection. We report a case of coccidioidomycosis manifested as pelvic bone and paravertebral abscess in a Korean who has visited LA. Culture and pathology from the pelvic bone and paravertebral mass revealed Coccidioides immitis, and a diagnosis of disseminated coccidioidomycosis was made.
Subject(s)
Abscess , Coccidioides , Coccidioidomycosis , Diagnosis , Inhalation , Pathology , Pelvic Bones , Spores , United StatesABSTRACT
En Venezuela las zonas xerófilas del estado Falcón, Lara y Zulia son endémicas para Coccidioides immitis. Dentro de las micosis profundas es la menos frecuente; según Albornoz se describieron 61 casos de coccidioidomicosis hasta 1966. En zonas endémicas, la coccidioidomicosis suele ser una enfermedad oportunista frecuente en pacientes con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH). Por lo tanto, podría esperarse una alta incidencia de esta entidad en pacientes infectados con el VIH, sin embargo, hasta donde sabemos, no se ha reportado ningún caso en la literatura local. En este trabajo se describen dos casos de pacientes VIH positivos que presentaron coccidioidomicosis diseminada.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Coccidioides/pathogenicity , Coccidioidomycosis/complications , Dyspnea/diagnosis , HIV , Opportunistic Infections/complications , Tomography/methods , Thoracic Injuries/diagnosis , Infectious Disease Medicine , MicrobiologyABSTRACT
A case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis from the rural zone of Bertolinia, PI, is reported. The patient, a farm worker, attributed his illness to the dust inhaled while digging a water well during the dry season of the year, some weeks before the onset of the clinical manifestations. The main symptoms of the disease were severe chest pain and moderate fever. The diagnosis was made histopathologically: tissue phase fungal organisms--immature spherules and spherules with endospores--were observed in histological sections of a lung fragment obtained by open chest biopsy. This is the twelfth autochthonous case of coccidioidomycosis found so far in Brazil. All of them involved native inhabitants of the semi-arid part of Northeastern Brazil. The hot and dry environment of the region seems to favor the development of C. immitis in the soil. Humans and animals probably acquire the infection by digging the soil, when they become exposed to the conidium-bearing dust raised by this activity.
É descrito um caso de coccidioidomicose pulmonar oriundo da zona rural de Bertolínia, PI. A manifestação clínica principal consistiu em dor torácica e o diagnóstico teve por base o achado do agente ¾ Coccidioides immitis ¾ em cortes histológicos. Formas teciduais do microrganismo ¾ esférulas imaturas e maduras ¾ estavam presentes nas lesões observadas em fragmento pulmonar removido do paciente por biópsia a céu aberto. Este novo caso autóctone da doença, como os outros anteriormente descritos no Brasil, procedia do interior semi-árido da Região Nordeste. O ambiente quente e seco do sertão nordestino oferece, sem dúvida, condições propícias ao desenvolvimento de C. immitis, um habitante do solo. As pessoas e animais do local devem adquirir a infecção ao revolver a terra, ato que os expõe à poeira contendo os propágulos do fungo.