• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Skin lesion of coccidioidomycosis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Definition:

Skin lesions of coccidioidomycosis are skin symptoms of a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides immitis .

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection most often found in the desert regions of the southwestern US, and in Central and South America. It is acquired by breathing in fungal particles from soil in these regions. The point of entry for this infection is the lung.

Up to one-half of affected individuals have mild or no symptoms. Immunosuppressed individuals, such as people with AIDS, cancer, or transplant recipients, are at higher risk of severe, widespread (disseminated) disease.

Skin lesions can occur in the early stages of coccidioidomycosis (during primary lung infection). They include erythema nodosum or erythema multiforme . These rashes usually clear without treatment and are believed to be caused by an immune response to the infection.

After primary infection in the lungs, the fungus itself may spread to other tissues including the skin, and lead to various skin lesions including papules , nodules , and ulcers. These lesions contain fungus within them and are a manifestation of disseminated (widespread) fungal disease.

References:

Chiller TM. Coccidioidomycosis. Infect Dis Clin North Am . 2003; 17(1): 41-57, viii.

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000.

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases . 5th ed. London, UK: Churchill Livingstone; 2000:2746-2755.

Galgiani JN, Ampel N, Blair JE, et al. Coccidioidomycosis. Clin Infect Dis . 2005;41:1217-23.

• Review Date: 9/5/2006
• Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.