Acute Pulmonary Coccidioidomycosis and Review of Published Cases with Lung Involvement in Korea

Abstract

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides immitis. The endemic area is mostly southwestern United States. As increasing in overseas travel to endemic areas, the incidence rate has been recently increased in non-endemic areas. The diagnosis may be delayed in non-endemic area. It is important to elicit traveling histories and to differentiate lung consolidation with eosinophilia, for timely diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis. Recently, we experienced a case with pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in a Korean American who visited Korea showed consolidation in right lower lobe on chest X-ray and prolonged eosinophilia. In the case, a confirmatory diagnostic method was percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of lung. We report acute pulomonary coccidioidomycosis case and review previous published reports with pulmonary manifestation in Korea.

Molecular Identification of Coccidioides posadasii in Synovial Fluid in Korea

“…Its incidence has continuously increased since the last 20 years, with 17 cases reported so far. However, these cases were con rmed by histopathological examination or culture with microscopic identi cation [3]. Here, we present the rst case of disseminated coccidioidomycosis involving the knee joint, con rmed by molecular identi cation of Coccidioides posadasii infection.…”

“…Molecular Identification of Coccidioides posadasii in Synovial Fluid in Korea 4,5 •신 수 1,3 trose agar at 30˚C, there was white cottony mold on the plate, that grew into white uffy circles (Fig. 1A).…”

“…In addition, pneumonia of unknown etiology should be eliminated as a possible cause of coccidioidomycosis, which accounts for 30% of cases of community-acquired pneumonia in endemic regions [6]. Since it was rst reported in 1976 in Korea, 17 previous cases of coccidioidomycosis, have been con rmed by histopathology or culture with microscopic identi cation [3]. Of these, 8 were of disseminated coccidioidomycosis (Table 1).…”