Coccidioidomycosis: The brief life and enduring impact of Alejandro Posadas
Abstract
The dimorphic fungus Coccidioides posadasii is a pathogen endemic to arid and semiarid regions of the Americas, particularly the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and northeastern Brazil. In the environment, the fungus grows as a mycelium producing infectious arthroconidia that become airborne when soil is disturbed. Inhalation of these spores triggers infection in naïve mammal hosts, where the fungus converts to a spherule form that undergoes internal endosporulation. The resulting disease, coccidioidomycosis (or valley fever), presents a wide clinical spectrum ranging from mild, self-limited pulmonary infection to severe disseminated disease involving skin, bones, and the central nervous system [1].
Fields of Study & Subjects
Fungal Infections and Studies
Actinomycetales infections and treatment
History of Medicine and Tropical Health
Publication details
- Journal / source
- CMI Communications
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 105172–105172
- Publication date
- 14 January 2026
- Language
- EN