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Doctors Lounge - Infections Answers
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| CHO
- Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:17 pm |
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Do you think it is possible to have breathed in this fungus 4 years prior to having any symptoms that needed medical treatment? My first trip to the dr. revealed a hole in my 3rd metacarpal.
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| Dr.M.Aroon kamath
- Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:47 am |
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 Hi,
Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides immitis, a fungus that thrives in the soil in some geographic areas(with suitable rain fall, ambient temperatures and humidity) and releases spores into the air where they can be spread by inhalation. Endemic in some parts of South America, Mexico and in the US, Texas, Arizona and california. HIV infection and other immunocompromised states have greatly increased risk of contracting Coccidioidomycotic infection.
Coccidioidomycosis affecting the bone(extra pulmonay involvement) usually indicates a disseminated disease.
Dissemination of the disease is more common in Filipinos, other Asians, blacks, during pregnancy and men in general.
Coccidioidomycosis, can develop 20 or more years after the initial infection, which may have gone unnoticed by being completely asymptomatic or being minimally symptomatic.
In parts of the world where it is not common, lack of familiarity with the disease is perhaps the main cause of significant delays in diagnosis.Some case series have reported average delays of about 4 years. Also, its latent period can be upto an year or more causes inevitable delays in diagnosis.
Delayed diagnosis generally correlates with a worse outcome.
As explained, certainly there is a possibility of the disease manifesting 4 years following inhalation of the spores.
Good luck!
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