| Popis: |
GEOGRAPHIC distribution of Coccidioides imnmitis in Arizona has been estimated previously by noting the areas of the State in which cases of coccidioidomycosis in human beings are reported (1-10), by several skin test surveys (fig. 1) conducted on various population groups (10-17), and by trapping rodents in specific geographic areas and examining them for the presence of C. immnitis (18). Skin test studies on man, however, have all had shortcomings which make pinpointing the infectivity of a small area difficult. In some instances large areas with little population were not surveyed. Many persons who migrate to Arizona from the midwest have been previously infected with Histoplasrna capsulatum,, a potential cause of a cross reaction to the coccidioidin skin test. Also, persons living in the State travel about a great deal both inside and outside Arizona. Although only a few studies of coccidioidin skin tests in animals have been reported (19, 20), it has been shown that cattle within the more obviously endemic areas become infected and react to skin tests. This study was undertaken to determine more definitely the extent of the endemic areas and to map the relative infectivity in various parts of Arizona. |
