Coccidioidomycosis

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the dimorphic pathogenic fungi Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadassi ^[1]. It is described as a Western Hemisphere infection that is endemic to soil in areas with limited rainfall ^[2]. The available source material identifies it as an endemic mycosis with respiratory acquisition and potential extrapulmonary spread ^[1][2].

When symptomatic, coccidioidomycosis is usually an influenza-like respiratory illness with a predominantly pneumonic presentation ^[1][2]. Many infections are asymptomatic, and the mildest illnesses may not require treatment ^[2]. A small minority of cases progress to disseminated disease outside the lungs ^[1][2]. Reported extrapulmonary manifestations include meningitis, osteoarticular disease, and integumentary disease ^[2].

The disease is endemic in the southwestern United States and in Central and South America ^[1]. Another source describes it more generally as a fungal infection of the Western Hemisphere that is endemic to soil in areas with limited rainfall ^[2]. The incidence is reported to continue increasing ^[1]. Source-backed detail on outbreak patterns, seasonal distribution, or specific surveillance burden is not yet available from the provided snippets.

Human and animal infections result from inhalation of arthroconidia ^[2]. The provided sources indicate environmental exposure to endemic soil as the key ecological setting for acquisition ^[2]. Source-backed detail on person-to-person transmission is not available in the provided snippets.

The provided sources do not specify detailed risk groups. One source notes that treatment decisions are influenced by concurrent medical problems including immunosuppression, which may be relevant to clinical risk stratification ^[1]. Beyond that, source-backed detail on age, occupation, travel, transplant status, or other high-risk groups is not yet available from the snippets.

The source material supports prevention primarily through exposure awareness in endemic areas, since the organism is endemic to soil in regions with limited rainfall and infection follows inhalation of arthroconidia ^[2]. No specific public-health control measures, vaccine information, or exposure-avoidance protocols are provided in the snippets. Source-backed detail on prevention beyond reducing relevant environmental exposure is not yet available.

For surveillance interpretation, coccidioidomycosis should be read as an endemic fungal infection with a wide clinical spectrum, from asymptomatic infection to respiratory illness and occasional dissemination ^[1][2]. The increasing incidence noted in the literature makes trend monitoring relevant ^[1]. Because disease expression varies and extrapulmonary disease can occur, surveillance summaries should distinguish uncomplicated respiratory cases from disseminated disease when such data are available ^[1][2].

1. 1 Bays DJ et al. Coccidioidomycosis. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2021 Jun. PMID: 34016286. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2021.03.010. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34016286/
2. 2 Johnson RH et al. Coccidioidomycosis: a review. J Investig Med. 2021 Feb. PMID: 33495302. doi: 10.1136/jim-2020-001655. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33495302/
3. 3 Agrawal A et al. Long-Term Infectious Complications of Kidney Transplantation. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2022 Feb. PMID: 33879502. doi: 10.2215/CJN.15971020. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33879502/
4. 4 Coccidioidomycosis. Diagnosis and Treatment of Uveitis. 2013. doi: 10.5005/jp/books/11822_32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5005/jp/books/11822_32
5. 5 Coccidioidomycosis. American Journal of Diseases of Children. 1964. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1964.02090010456003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1964.02090010456003
6. 6 Coccidioidomycosis. Scholarly DOI record. 1980. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4757-1712-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1712-9

ICD-10

ICD-11

Total cases

161K

Peak month

2024-03

Coverage

2 reporting countries · 2012-09-14 → 2026-06-20