Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
11:17
Obtaining Highly Purified Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts by a Discontinuous Cesium Chloride Gradient
Published on: November 3, 2009
Coccidoidouria: clinical significance
Annals of Internal Medicine
|July 1, 1976
Summary
Coccidioides immitis in urine indicates urinary tract coccidioidomycosis, often seen in immunocompromised patients. Early detection and understanding infection sites are crucial for managing this fungal disease.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Urology
Background:
- Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection primarily affecting the lungs.
- Urinary tract involvement is a less common but significant manifestation.
- Impaired host defense mechanisms increase susceptibility to disseminated fungal infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of Coccidioides immitis in urine cultures.
- To determine the clinical presentation and sites of infection in patients with urinary tract coccidioidomycosis.
- To assess the role of host defense impairment in the development of this condition.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of urine cultures from patients with positive Coccidioides immitis results.
- Clinical data review including patient history, immune status, and diagnostic findings.
- Microscopic examination and colony counts of C. immitis in urine and prostatic secretions.
Main Results:
- Twelve patients had urine cultures positive for Coccidioides immitis.
- Eight patients had impaired host defense mechanisms.
- Urinary tract infection sites included upper tract, lower tract (prostate, epididymis), or both.
Conclusions:
- Urine culture is a valuable tool for diagnosing urinary tract coccidioidomycosis.
- Patients with Coccidioides immitis in urine often have disseminated disease or compromised immunity.
- Understanding the specific sites of urinary tract involvement is essential for effective treatment.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:12Giardiasis
Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:20Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
01:18Trichomoniasis
Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite and the causative agent of trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the United States. This extracellular parasite primarily colonizes the lower genitourinary tract in women—particularly the vagina—and in men, the urethra and prostate. Its structural and functional adaptations enable its survival, motility, and pathogenicity within the host environment.Structural Features and Host EntryT.