ISSN: 2993-8260
Authors: Kumkum Vadehra, Arya Bista, Akash Kalita, Ping Ji*
Coccidioidomycosis is the infection caused by the dimorphic fungi of the genus Coccidioides. Primary pulmonary infection is caused by inhalation of airborne mycelial arthroconidia located in soil. While most infections are asymptomatic, clinical illness ranges from acute pneumonia (Valley Fever) to extra-thoracic disseminated infection. Most cases of coccidioidomycosis in the United States are endemic in the southwestern part of the country, particularly in Arizona, the San Joaquin Valley of California; parts of Mexico and Central and South America. Here we describe the case of a 13- year-old boy with an unusual history of hoarseness of voice, in whom laryngoscopy and biopsy were performed, and subsequent histologic diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis was established.
Keywords: Coccidioidomycosis; Coccidioides; Valley Fever; Fungal lung disease; Cavitary lung disease