Coccidioidomycosis: early immunologic findings

T and B lymphocyte number and lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, concanavalin A, coccidioidin and streptokinase-streptodornase (SKSD), plus monocyte ingestion of coccidioidin- and IgG-coated chicken erythrocytes were measured in 5 patients with coccidioidal meningitis, 11 with nonmeningeal extrapulmonary cocidioidomycosis and 5 with localized pulmonary infections. These cases were evaluated within six months of the onset of infection. Lymphocytic responses to phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, concanavalin A, SKSD and coccidioidin and monocytic ingestion of coccidioidin- and IgG-coated chicken erythrocytes were severely decreased in patients with meningeal and nonmeningeal, extrapulmonary coccidioidomycosis but not in patients with localized pulmonary infections. T and B cell numbers, however, were normal in all groups. Thus, defects in cellular immunity are involved in the pathogenesis of extrapulmonary coccidioidomycosis and measurements of lymphocytic and monocytic function may identify patients prone to extrapulmonary infection.