Testing for Coccidioidomycosis among Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Lack of testing may lead to underdiagnosis and underestimates of disease prevalence

Testing for Coccidioidomycosis among Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Lack of testing may lead to underdiagnosis and underestimates of disease prevalence

The Public Health Impact of Coccidioidomycosis in Arizona and California

The numbers of reported cases of coccidioidomycosis in Arizona and California have risen dramatically over the past decade, with a 97.8% and 91.1% increase in incidence rates from 2001 to 2006 in the two states, respectively. Of those cases with reported race/ethnicity information, Black/African Americans in Arizona and Hispanics and African/Americans in California experienced a disproportionately higher frequency of disease compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Lack of early diagnosis continues to be a problem, particularly in suspect community-acquired pneumonia, underscoring the need for more rapid and sensitive tests. Similarly, the inability of currently available therapeutics to reduce the duration and morbidity of this disease underscores the need for improved therapeutics and a preventive vaccine

Enhanced Surveillance of Coccidioidomycosis, Arizona, USA, 2007–2008

Additional public and provider education are needed to reduce delays in diagnosis