Preview

Coccidioides Immitis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
418 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Coccidioides Immitis
Coccidioides immitis Coccidioides immitis is a member of the Kingdom, Fungi; Phylum, Ascomycota; Class, Euascomycetes; Order, Onygenales; Family Onygenaceae; and the Genus Coccidioides. Coccidioides immitis are thermally dimorphic fungus that reproduces by arhroconidia, swelling of arhroconidia in vivo into spherules (which burst and release endospores.) The fungi is found mainly in warm dry areas with low rain fall, high summer temperatures, and low altitude. C. immitis is geographically limited to the san Joaquin valley region, and co exists with C. Posadasii in the desert southwest of the United States, Mexico, and South America. C. immitis specifically inhabits alkaline soil and is isolated in rodent burrows at desert like areas of southwest Unites States. It has no known teleomorph. Coccidioides immitis \ C. Posadasii are the only species included in the genus Coccidioides. Coccidioides immitis causes systemic mycosis beginning as a respiratory infection; primary infection is asymptomatic or flue like. 1/5 of clinical cases develop erythematic nodosum and there is a rare progression to disseminated disease which is more common pregnant women; blacks, and Filipinos. It can become progressive, and causes frequently fatal glaucomatous disease with lung lesions and abscesses throughout the body. It can also cause Meningitis and is 90% fatal if left untreated. Common infections can occur in arid and semiarid areas of the western hemisphere. Dusty fomites from endemic areas can transmit infection elsewhere. It affects all ages, both sexes, and all races; and is common in summer after wind and dust storms. Coccidioides immitis mode of transmission is mainly due to inhalation of infective arhroconidia from the soil and has a high propensity for airborne transmission and retention in deep pulmonary spaces. Laboratory accidents involving cultures are common. It has and incubation period of 1-4 weeks in primary infection, disseminated infection may develop


References: http://www.doctorfungus.org/thefungi/coccidiodes.htm http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/msds40e.html

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Bio 315 Assment 1

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Cysticercosis is spread by eating undercooked pork (Be careful --- This is a tricky question.) GUIDE and http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cysticercosis/biology.html)…

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Bio 102: Study Guide

    • 1681 Words
    • 7 Pages

    7) Kingdom Fungi includes species 7) under Eukarya, decompose dead organisms, obtain nutrients into cell…

    • 1681 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    “We have found that caves and mines, which remain cool year-round, can serve as reservoirs for the fungus, so bats entering previously infected sites may contract White-nose Syndrome from that environment. This represents an important and adverse transmission route.”…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Also known as Valley fever is an infection that is caused by the fungi Coccidioides. The fungus grows in soil found in the southwestern part of the United States as well as Mexico and Central/South America. Those living in these designated areas can contract this disease by inhaling the fungal spores in the air. This is considered a self limiting respiratory infection so most individuals that are infected present with mild to no symptoms at all. A patient with this disease can present with the following signs and symptoms anywhere from 1-3 weeks after breathing in the fungal spores due to its incubation period of 10-16 days. The symptoms consist of, fatigue, cough, SOB, fever, chills, HA, night sweats, muscle aches/joint pain, rash on the upper body or legs (erythema nodosum). These symptoms can last 7-30 days or up to several months depending on the severity. In regards to patient history, it is important to get a travel history especially if they went to an endemic area to determine their risk of exposure. Some exam findings could be respiratory manifestations such as rales, rhonchi, bronchial breath sounds, or decreased breath sounds. Skin findings could consist of diffuse, maculopapular rashes or urticaria that may progress to erythema nodosum or erythema multiforme after 3-21 days. Abscess formation can also be found on PE and unifocal bone or joint lesions if MS involvement. It can involve several organs such as the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, and the CNS can be involved resulting in meningitis.…

    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Biology Quiz Paper

    • 2581 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Each of the following parasites has an intermediate host as part of its life cycle EXCEPT:…

    • 2581 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Exam I Review Spring 2014

    • 1074 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Fungi: Chemoheterotrophic; unicellular or multicellular; cell walls of chitin; develop from spores or hyphal fragments…

    • 1074 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cheat Sheet

    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Fungi - multicellular heterotrophs, digest and internalize food from their surroundings, immobile, chitin cell walls…

    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Yersinia Pestis

    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages

    are both required for virulence and are only produced when the organism grows at 37 degrees C…

    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ding Dong Worksheet

    • 773 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What is the infection agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? For example the name of the bacteria, virus or parasite.…

    • 773 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    A disease also called coccidioidomycosis or (CM) due to a fungus called Coccidioides immitis. About 40% of people infected with this fungus develop symptoms. Most often they have an influenza-like illness with fever, cough, headaches, rash, and myalgias. Usually, those people with symptoms, 8% have severe lung disease requiring hospitalization and about 7% develop disseminated infection throughout the body. Valley fever is a lung infection. A fungus becomes airborne when dust around construction areas and agricultural areas is transported by the wind. When spores are inhaled, Valley Fever can result.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Roaring 20s Essay

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages

    "Which were the more typical of 1920s America: prohibition and intolerance or the Jazz Age and increasing social freedom?…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What is the infectious agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? For example, the name of the bacteria, virus, or parasite.…

    • 360 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Most of the infections occur in Hispanic individuals and secondly Asian individuals due to endemic areas. Despite these statistics, infection has been related to exposure rather than genetic predisposition. Other commonalities are that cysticercosis has been more commonly found in children and young females. This could be due to the lack of immune capability but the cause has not been distinguished. The age group for infected individuals spans from 10-40, but the infection has been described in all age groups.…

    • 1779 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fungi are placed into the plant category although they are very different from green plants. The basic part of fungus is a hollow tube, which is known as ‘hypha’. Fungi spread by releasing spores into its surroundings.…

    • 1001 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    HIstoplasmosis

    • 350 Words
    • 1 Page

    Histoplasmosis is caused by the fungus Histoplasma, which lives throughout the world but is most common in North America and Central America. Histoplasma grows best in soil that contains bird or bat droppings. However, birds cannot spread the fungus in their droppings but bats can. People most often receive the disease causing illness after breathing in microscopic fungal spores that come from disturbed soil. The most common symptoms a person would get are coughing, fever, and fatigue and they usually appear within three and seventeen days. Other symptoms a person may experience are chills, headache chest pains, and body aches and these will most commonly last for a couple of weeks to a month unless they become severe. In severe cases of Histoplasmosis the disease can develop into a long term lung infection and even possibly spread to areas of the body like the spinal cord or the brain. Almost every healthcare provider can order a test for histoplasmosis. For a doctor to diagnosis histoplasmosis the best they need a urine sample or a blood sample, they also need to know physical examinations, symptoms, and your medical and travel history. The treatment is fairly simple with a non-severe case and you should see a decline of your symptoms in a few weeks. In severe cases a doctor will prescribe an antifungal medication like Itraconazole, and can say you need the treatment for up to 3 months to a year. Histoplasmosis is most common among adults aged sixty-five years or older or people who have HIV/AIDS and a weakened immune system. Although, approximately sixty percent to ninety percent in the Midwest/South have been exposed to Histoplasmosis. The most recent outbreak of Histoplasmosis was in an east-central Illinois prison throughout the months of august through September in the year 2013. They are still finding cases so the investigation is still open, but they are currently at 78 cases. The breakout was causes by the pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum…

    • 350 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays