title: The habitat of Coccidioides spp. and the role of animals as reservoirs and disseminators in nature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coccidioidomycosis, a potentially fatal fungal infection, is considered an emergent mycotic disease because of the increased incidence of fungal infections registered over recent years. Infection occurs through the inhalation of arthroconidia from two main species of Coccidioides: Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii, which are both endemic to arid and semi-arid regions of North America. Coccidioides species not only infect humans but can also infect other mammals (land, aquatic, wild or domestic), reptiles and birds.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To obtain information regarding the habitat of Coccidioides spp. and the animals infected by this fungus and to identify the role that infected animals play as reservoirs and disseminators of this fungus in nature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review was conducted to identify the habitat of Coccidioides spp. and the infected non-human animal species targeted by this fungus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review allows us to suggest that Coccidioides spp. may be classified as halotolerant organisms; nevertheless, to perpetuate their life cycle, these organisms depend on different animal species (reservoirs) that serve as a link with the environment, by acting as disseminators of the fungi in nature.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria No. 3000, Coyoacán, 04510, México Cd.Mx., Mexico.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Rocío Reyes-Montes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria No. 3000, Coyoacán, 04510, México Cd.Mx., Mexico.
authors.forename: María Ameyali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pérez-Huitrón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria No. 3000, Coyoacán, 04510, México Cd.Mx., Mexico.
authors.forename: Jorge Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ocaña-Monroy
authors.affiliation: División de Investigación, Hospital Juárez de México, Edificio E. Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Col. Magdalena de las Salinas, 07760, México Cd.Mx., Mexico.
authors.forename: María Guadalupe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Frías-De-León
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria No. 3000, Coyoacán, 04510, México Cd.Mx., Mexico.
authors.forename: Erick
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Herrera
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Micología, Hospital General "Manuel Gea González", Av. Calzada de Tlalpan 4800, Tlalpan, 14080, México, Cd.Mx., Mexico.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arenas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria No. 3000, Coyoacán, 04510, México Cd.Mx., Mexico. dupe@unam.mx.
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Duarte-Escalante
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003045:Coccidioides / Q000502:physiology*; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004199:Disease Vectors; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D009656:North America
keywords: Coccidioides spp.; Dissemination; Habitat; Reservoir