Coccidioidal pneumonia, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 2000-2004

Emerg Infect Dis. 2009 Mar;15(3):397-401. doi: 10.3201/eid1563.081007.

Abstract

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) often results in severe illness and death. In large, geographically defined areas where Coccidioides spp. are endemic, coccidioidomycosis is a recognized cause of CAP, but its frequency has not been studied extensively. To determine the frequency of patients with coccidioidomycosis, we conducted a prospective evaluation of 59 patients with CAP in the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Of 35 for whom paired coccidioidal serologic testing was performed, 6 (17%) had evidence of acute coccidioidomycosis. Coccidioidal pneumonia was more likely than noncoccidioidal CAP to produce rash. The following were not found to be risk factors or reliable predictors of infection: demographic features, underlying medical conditions, duration of time spent in disease-endemic areas, occupational and recreational activities, initial laboratory studies, and chest radiography findings. Coccidioidomycosis is a common cause of CAP in our patient population. In the absence of distinguishing clinical features, coccidioidal pneumonia can be identified only with appropriate laboratory studies.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arizona / epidemiology
  • Coccidioides* / immunology
  • Coccidioides* / isolation & purification
  • Coccidioides* / pathogenicity
  • Coccidioidomycosis* / diagnosis
  • Coccidioidomycosis* / epidemiology
  • Coccidioidomycosis* / microbiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections* / diagnosis
  • Community-Acquired Infections* / epidemiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections* / microbiology
  • Endemic Diseases
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal* / diagnosis
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal* / epidemiology
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal* / microbiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumonia* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia* / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia* / microbiology
  • Risk Factors