Coccidioidomycosis in the U.S. Military: a review

Coccidioidomycosis has had an impact on the military since the discovery of the causative agent, Coccidioides immitis, over a century ago. The first reports of Coccidioides outbreaks affecting U.S. military personnel were reported by Smith and others during World War II. Since that time, numerous outbreaks and sporadic cases have occurred, affecting both the health and readiness of our armed forces. This article summarizes the impact of Coccidioides sp. on our military troops with a review of the literature, a description of the experience at a tertiary referral hospital treating the disease, and a synopsis of incidence studies conducted at bases in the southwestern United States. The substantial effect that coccidioidomycosis has had on the military supports the development of both newer and more effective treatments as well as a Valley Fever vaccine for prevention of this disease.