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Review
. 2022 Jun 25;8(7):666.
doi: 10.3390/jof8070666.

Update on the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Coccidioidomycosis

Samantha L Williams  1 , Tom Chiller  1
Affiliations
Review

Update on the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Coccidioidomycosis

Samantha L Williams et al. J Fungi (Basel). .

Abstract

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. The dimorphic fungi live in the soils of arid and semi-arid regions of the western United States, as well as parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America. Incidence of disease has risen consistently in recent years, and the geographic distribution of Coccidioides spp. appears to be expanding beyond previously known areas of endemicity. Climate factors are predicted to further extend the range of environments suitable for the growth and dispersal of Coccidioides species. Most infections are asymptomatic, though a small proportion result in severe or life-threatening forms of disease. Primary pulmonary coccidioidomycosis is commonly mistaken for community-acquired pneumonia, often leading to inappropriate antibacterial treatment and unnecessary healthcare costs. Diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis is challenging and often relies on clinician suspicion to pursue laboratory testing. Advancements in diagnostic tools and antifungal therapy developments seek to improve the early detection and effective management of infection. This review will highlight recent updates and summarize the current understanding of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of coccidioidomycosis.

Keywords: Coccidioides; Valley fever; coccidioidomycosis; endemic mycoses; fungal diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Global geographic distribution of the Coccidioides species.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Coccidioidomycosis case counts submitted to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, 1998–2019. Case counts reported by individual states might differ slightly from those reported by the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System because of differences in the timing of reports or surveillance methods.
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