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Coccidioidomycosis

Last reviewed: 5 Oct 2024
Last updated: 27 Feb 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • asymptomatic
  • fever
  • cough
  • rash
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • headache
  • fatigue
  • pleuritic chest pain
  • dyspnea
  • myalgia or arthralgia
  • weight loss
  • night sweats
  • chills
  • rales, rhonchi, wheeze, or rub
  • bronchial breathing
  • hemoptysis
  • pyopneumothorax
  • lymphadenopathy
  • abnormal mental status or neurologic exam
Full details

Risk factors

  • immunosuppression, especially suppression of cell-mediated immunity
  • occupation involving digging or construction
  • recreational activities that increase likelihood of dust inhalation
  • extremes of age
  • male sex
  • residing in or visiting endemic areas
  • African-American or Filipino ancestry
  • blood group B
  • pregnancy
  • HLA groups
  • diabetes mellitus
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • sputum culture
  • enzyme immunoassay serology for coccidioidomycosis
  • immunodiffusion serology for coccidioidomycosis
  • complement fixation serology for coccidioidomycosis
  • CBC
  • chest x-ray
Full details

Tests to consider

  • antigen testing
  • polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
  • lung biopsy
  • lumbar puncture
  • erythrocyte sedimentation rate
  • CT chest
  • bone scan
  • MRI
Full details

Emerging tests

  • lateral flow assay (LFA)

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

mild coccidioidal pneumonia (nonpregnant)

severe or diffuse coccidioidal pneumonia (nonpregnant)

pulmonary nodule (nonpregnant)

asymptomatic pulmonary cavity (nonpregnant)

symptomatic pulmonary cavity (nonpregnant)

chronic progressive fibrocavitary coccidioidomycosis (nonpregnant)

skin and soft tissue coccidioidomycosis (nonpregnant)

skeletal coccidioidomycosis (nonpregnant)

coccidioidal meningitis (nonpregnant)

pregnant

Contributors

Authors

Janis E. Blair, MD

Professor of Medicine

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Sciences

Rochester

MN

Division of Infectious Diseases

Mayo Clinic

Phoenix

AZ

Disclosures

JEB declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Susan Hoover, MD

Infectious Diseases Clinic

Sanford Health Sioux Falls

SD

Disclosures

SH declares that she has no competing interests.

Astrid Mayr, MD

Professor of Medicine

Department of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology

Medical University Innsbruck

Innsbruck

Austria

Disclosures

AM declares that she has no competing interests.

  • Differentials

    • Tuberculosis
    • Nontuberculous pulmonary mycobacterial infections
    • Community-acquired pneumonia
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • CDC Yellow Book: health information for international travel - coccidioidomycosis/valley fever
    • Clinical testing guidance for coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis in patients with community-acquired pneumonia
    More Guidelines
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