| Autor: |
Cordeiro R; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-270, Brazil., Moura S; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-270, Brazil., Castelo-Branco D; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-270, Brazil., Rocha MF; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-270, Brazil.; Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ceará State University, Fortaleza 60740-000, Brazil., Lima-Neto R; Center of Medical Sciences, Department of Tropical Medicine, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife-PE 50740-600, Brazil., Sidrim JJ; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-270, Brazil. |
| Abstrakt: |
Coccidioidomycosis is a deep-seated fungal infection that occurs exclusively in semiarid areas in the Americas. In Brazil, coccidioidomycosis occurs exclusively in rural areas in the northeast region and affects counties that are hit by recurrent droughts, poverty and economic stagnation. Since 1978, approximately 136 cases of the disease have been reported in Brazil, according to scientific publications. However, a lack of governmental epidemiological data as well as a similarity to tuberculosis have led scientists and experts to assume that a greater number of cases occur in the country, which are not diagnosed and/or reported. In this review, general characteristics of coccidioidomycosis are presented, followed by a description of the main clinical and epidemiological data of cases in Brazil. The purpose of this article is to discuss the inclusion of coccidioidomycosis in the list of neglected tropical diseases. We believe that the adoption of coccidioidomycosis as a neglected tropical disease will enable the creation of an effective epidemiological surveillance system and the development of feasible public health solutions for its control in vulnerable populations. |
