The causative organism of Coccidioidomycosis
Conidia produced by C.immitis
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C.immitis mold form
Image kindly supplied by
J.
Weber, Med. Micro. & Immunology University of
Wisconsin-Madison
Dimorphic fungus - has a mold form and a yeast form.
Unlike other fungi which cause systemic disease, this organism has no budding yeast stage.
Grows between 20 and 40 C, up to pH 9.
It is a saprophyte, living in soil.
It produces spores which are inhaled, which then form spherules and endospores.
This cycle of life continues throughout infection in the body, leading to its proliferation and spread.
The organism is a saprophyte, found living in soil.
It grows in hot sandy alkaline soils of semi-arid deserts.
Such soils are in the US, Mexico and South America.
Spores are produced by the saprophytic stage in soil.
They become airborne following soil disturbance - earthquakes, wind, human intervention, natural disasters.
Fruit and cotton have also been found to carry the mold spores.
Coccidioidomycosis
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