Epidemiological survey of the imported mycoses in Japan

The authors surveyed the present situation for imported (introduced) mycoses from papers published in Japan as of the end of October, 1998. There were 16 cases of coccidioidomycosis, 22 of histoplasmosis, 13 of paracoccidioidomycosis and one of penicilliosis marneffei. In coccidioidomycosis the ages ranged from 17 to 55, for 14 males and two females. There were eight cases of primary pulmonary coccidioidomycosis and the remaining eight were of the disseminated type, of which two were fatal. For histoplasmosis, the ages ranged from 17 to 74 of which five cases were female and 17 male. They consisted of 13 pulmonary histoplasmosis, seven disseminated type and two cutaneous type. All cases of the disseminated type died. All of the patients with paracoccidioidomycosis were infected in Latin American countries. They consisted of 12 males and one female, and the ages ranged from 34 to 68. The clinical types were dominated by mucocutaneous-lymphangitic paracoccidioidomycoses (10 cases). A single case of penicilliosis marneffei (38 years old, male) was reported very recently. The case was complicated by AIDS and became critical. Blastomycosis has not yet been reported. This survey indicates that the number of the imported mycoses in Japan is increasing. It is necessary for the responsible authorities to take counter measures to cope with this situation.