RESUMEN
In July 1996 the Washington State Department of Health (Seattle) was notified of a cluster of a flulike, rash-associated illness in a 126-member church group, many of whom were adolescents. The group had recently returned from Tecate, Mexico, where members had assisted with construction projects at an orphanage. After 1 member was diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis, we initiated a study to identify further cases. We identified 21 serologically confirmed cases of coccidioidomycosis (minimum attack rate, 17%). Twenty cases (95%) occurred in adolescents, and 13 patients (62%) had rash. Sixteen symptomatic patients saw 19 health care providers; 1 health care provider correctly diagnosed coccidioidomycosis. Coccidioides immitis was isolated from soil samples from Tecate by use of the intraperitoneal mouse inoculation method. Trip organizers were unaware of the potential for C. immitis infection. Travelers visiting regions where C. immitis is endemic should be made aware of the risk of acquiring coccidioidomycosis, and health care providers should be familiar with coccidioidomycosis and its diagnosis.
Asunto(s)
Coccidioides/aislamiento & purificación , Coccidioidomicosis/epidemiología , Brotes de Enfermedades , Adolescente , Adulto , Animales , Anticuerpos Antifúngicos/sangre , Coccidioidomicosis/microbiología , Coccidioidomicosis/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , México , Ratones , Factores de Riesgo , Microbiología del Suelo , Viaje , Washingtón/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
The treatment of mycetomas varies according to their etiological agents and the clinical state of the patient. For the treatment of eumycetomas, the azole derivatives are the drugs of choice, with itraconazole rendering better results than ketoconazole and presenting better tolerance. Actinomycetomas are treated according to different therapeutic schemes: dapsone plus sulfamethoxazol-trimethoprim (SMT), and streptomycin or amikacin or amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid. The first therapeutic scheme is very useful in the treatment of Nocardia mycetoma, while the association of amikacin plus SMT is the best treatment for those cases produced by Actinomadura madurae. Ciprofloxacin is a very useful drug for the treatment of actinomycotic mycetomas with bone lesions. Although there are several criteria for evaluating clinical outcome there is no accepted criterion of cure. During the 1990s, there was a remarkable increase in the incidence of coccidioidomycosis in California, USA. An almost ten-fold increase in the number of cases was registered during 1992 and 1993 over the usual incidence. A gradual reduction in coccidioidomycosis cases was observed in the late 1990s. This particular coccidioidomycosis outbreak took place in areas of low endemicity, as well as in those of usual high endemicity. Among the factors believed to have influenced this phenomenon were a drought followed by abundant winter/spring rainfall, increased immigration of susceptible individuals, increase in excavation/construction work and a better diagnosis of the infection, particularly in the last part of the decade. The majority of patients presented the usual clinical manifestations of symptomatic primary infection but an unusual number of cases with acute respiratory failure were observed.
Asunto(s)
Coccidioidomicosis/epidemiología , Micetoma/epidemiología , Antifúngicos/uso terapéutico , California/epidemiología , Coccidioidomicosis/tratamiento farmacológico , Brotes de Enfermedades , Enfermedades Endémicas , Humanos , Micetoma/tratamiento farmacológicoRESUMEN
Coccidioides immitis naturally occurs in the soil and air of certain areas of the New World. These are generally arid to semiarid areas that have relatively modest rainfall, mild winters, and prolonged hot seasons. Coccidioidomycosis is usually a disease of human and nonhuman residents of these areas; but visitors may develop the disease after entering these areas and returning home long distances from the endemic areas. Inhalation (rarely percutaneous introduction) of arthroconidia of C. immitis leads to usually benign but occasionally severe and even fatal infection. Recovery from or asymptomatic infection leads to resistance to reinfection. Exposure to soil (dust) means that certain occupations are more likely to be exposed to C. immitis. Persistence of the organism in the soil means that infections will be encountered in the future, particularly as long as susceptible newcomers continue to enter endemic areas. Those who have been infected and recovered generally will be resistant to later infection, although exacerbation may occur as a result of superimposed immunosuppression.