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 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.

• 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/