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Efficient Method for Imaging Murine Lungs that Preserves Spatial Dynamics of Fungal Spores in the Airways
Published on: December 13, 2024
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[Overlooked deadly infection with Coccidioides immitis]
Malthe Frederik Franch Andersen1, Jørgen Kurtzhals, Helle Broholm
1malthefa@gmail.com.
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|April 15, 2020
Summary
A rare Coccidioides immitis infection caused a fatal lung abscess and meningoencephalitis in a healthy woman. Early diagnosis is crucial, even in non-endemic areas, for effective treatment.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
Background:
- Coccidioides immitis is a fungus endemic to North America, causing coccidioidomycosis via spore inhalation.
- The disease can manifest in various forms, including pulmonary and disseminated infections.
Observation:
- A case report details a 65-year-old woman with no prior health issues who developed C. immitis lung abscess and meningoencephalitis.
- The patient had recently vacationed in California, a known endemic region.
Findings:
- The diagnosis of C. immitis was confirmed post-mortem via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of cerebrospinal fluid.
- The patient succumbed to the infection after a three-month medical course.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering Coccidioides immitis in patients presenting with severe respiratory and neurological symptoms, especially after travel to endemic areas.
- Physicians, particularly in non-endemic regions, need heightened awareness for timely diagnosis and management of this potentially lethal fungal infection.
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