BiologyofCoccidioidomycosis

EnvironmentalForm Host-associatedForm
3
1
2
4
AreasEndemicforCoccidioidomycosis
7 8
Highlyendemic
Moderatelyendemic
Mildlyendemic 6 5
Suspectedendemic
Intheenvironment,Coccioides ssp.existsasamold(1)withseptatehyphae.Thehyphaefragmentintoarthroconidia(2),which
measureonly2-4mindiameterandareeasilyaerosolizedwhendisturbed(3).Arthroconidiaareinhaledbyasusceptible
host(4)andsettleintothelungs.Thenewenvironmentsignalsamorphologicchange,andthearthroconidiabecome
spherules(5). Spherulesdivideinternallyuntiltheyareflledwithendospores(6).Whenaspheruleruptures(7)the
endosporesarereleasedanddisseminatewithinsurroundingtissue.Endosporesarethenabletodevelopintonewspherules
(6)andrepeatthecycle.