Surgical Lesions of Coccidioidomycosis

Human coccidioidomycosis is a disease resulting from infection by the fungus Coccidioides immitis. This disease is endemic in the southwestern United States, northern Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay. There is an increasing number of cases reported from the various areas in our country outside of the southwest. Most of these have had a history of visiting the southwestern section of the United States previous to the onset of their disease. Since travel to the southwest is common and on the increase and because the disease is usually considered a rarity by those living away from the endemic areas, it was thought that it would be of interest to present some of the features of the disease as well as review the related surgical problems. It should be emphasized that coccidioidal infection may appear in any individual who has been exposed to the fungus while in the southwestern portion of the United