Definition of Coccidioidomycosis - acute pulmonary:

Acute pulmonary coccidioidomycosis is a lung infection caused by breathing in spores of Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii, fungi found in the soil in certain parts of the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Coccidioides infection begins in the lungs after a person breathes in the spores.

Those who may develop more serious infection include:

• People of African or Philippine descent
• Those with weakened immune systems due to AIDS, diabetes, or medications that suppress the immune system

Occasionally the infection may develop into a long-term (chronic) lung disease or can reactivate after a long latent period.

Traveling to an area where these fungi are found is a risk for coccidioidal infection. Areas in the U.S. include Arizona, California (especially the San Joaquin Valley), and western Texas.