Coccidioidomycosis in armadillo hunters from the state of Ceará, Brazil

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2012 Sep;107(6):813-5. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02762012000600017.

Abstract

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis with a variable clinical presentation. Misdiagnosis of coccidioidomycosis as bacterial pneumopathy leads to inappropriate prescription of antibiotics and delayed diagnosis. This report describes an outbreak among armadillo hunters in northeastern Brazil in which an initial diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia was later confirmed as coccidioidomycosis caused by Coccidioides posadasii. Thus, this mycosis should be considered as an alternative diagnosis in patients reporting symptoms of pneumonia, even if these symptoms are only presented for a short period, who are from areas considered endemic for this disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Armadillos / microbiology*
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Coccidioides / isolation & purification
  • Coccidioidomycosis / diagnosis*
  • Coccidioidomycosis / epidemiology
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumonia / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / drug therapy
  • Soil Microbiology