Coccidioides immitis identified in soil outside of its known range - Washington, 2013.
Coccidioidomycosis ("valley fever") is caused by inhaling spores of the soil-dwelling fungi Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. Most infections are subclinical. When clinical manifestations do occur (typically 1-4 weeks after exposure), they are similar to those associated with influenza or community-acquired pneumonia. Disseminated disease is rare. Residual pulmonary nodules can lead to chronic lung disease. Fluconazole or other triazoles often are used for treatment, but mild cases often resolve without specific therapy. A total of 17,802 cases were reported in the United States in 2012.
Nicola
N
Marsden-Haug
Heather
H
Hill
Anastasia P
AP
Litvintseva
David M
DM
Engelthaler
Elizabeth M
EM
Driebe
Chandler C
CC
Roe
Cindy
C
Ralston
Steven
S
Hurst
Marcia
M
Goldoft
Lalitha
L
Gade
Ron
R
Wohrle
George R
GR
Thompson
Mary E
ME
Brandt
Tom
T
Chiller
D003045:Coccidioides / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology