title: Twelve years of coccidioidomycosis in Ceará State, Northeast Brazil: epidemiologic and diagnostic aspects.
abstract: Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic infection in the Americas caused by the dimorphic fungi Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. Although the disease occurs in Brazil in sporadic form, little information about these cases is available. In this study, we summarize the most important clinical, epidemiologic, and diagnostic features of coccidioidomycosis in Ceará State (Northeast Brazil) during the past 12 years. In this period, 19 cases of coccidioidomycosis were diagnosed. All the patients were young males and came from semiarid areas of the state. The majority of cases were associated to armadillo hunting, and pulmonary disease was the most common clinical presentation. In our laboratory, coccidioidomycosis was confirmed by culture, serology, and polymerase chain reaction tests, which together were very suitable for the diagnosis of this disease. Based on our local experience, we believe many cases of this disease are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed in our region. Therefore, some strategies for improvement of diagnosis should be encouraged by local authorities.
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. ross@uece.br
authors.forename: Rossana de Aguiar
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Brilhante
authors.forename: Marcos Fábio Gadelha
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Silviane Praciano
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.forename: Maria Auxiliadora Bezerra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fechine
authors.forename: Zoilo Pires
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: de Camargo
authors.forename: José Júlio Costa
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sidrim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003045:Coccidioides / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male