Paracoccidioidomycosis : Latin America’s Own fungal disorder

ABSTRACT : Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic, endemic fungal disorder restricted to Latin America (Mexico to Argentina); Brazil accounts for the largest number of cases. Imported cases diagnosed in North America, Europe and Asia represent patients who had previously lived in recognized ende...

Full description

Autores:
Restrepo Moreno, Ángela
Gómez Giraldo, Beatriz Lucía
Tobón Orozco, Ángela María
Tipo de recurso:
Article of investigation
Fecha de publicación:
2012
Institución:
Universidad de Antioquia
Repositorio:
Repositorio UdeA
Idioma:
eng
OAI Identifier:
oai:bibliotecadigital.udea.edu.co:10495/24090
Acceso en línea:
http://hdl.handle.net/10495/24090
Palabra clave:
Paracoccidioidomicosis
Paracoccidioidomycosis
América del Sur
South America
Blastomicosis
Blastomycosis
Técnicas de Laboratorio Clínico
Clinical Laboratory Techniques
Paracoccidioides
Rights
openAccess
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/co/
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT : Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic, endemic fungal disorder restricted to Latin America (Mexico to Argentina); Brazil accounts for the largest number of cases. Imported cases diagnosed in North America, Europe and Asia represent patients who had previously lived in recognized endemic reas. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the etiologic agent, is a thermally dimorphic fungus that in patients and cultures at 37 ° C adopts a yeast form while at lower temperatures it behaves as a mold that bears the infectious conidia. PCM has a peculiar gender distribution with preference for adult males at a ratio of ≥11 to 1. PCM afflicts predominantly adult males engaged in agriculture. It is mostly a chronic disease with acute/subacute cases accounting for less than 15 % of all reports. Specific diagnosis is established late and although available therapy is usually successful in controlling the fungal infection, patients who survive usually develop residual fibrotic lesions that heavily impair their quality of life.