Disease Triangle Dynamics of Coccidioidomycosis in Northern Arizona

Disease Triangle Dynamics of Coccidioidomycosis in Northern Arizona. Coccidioides species are the etiological agent of the disease coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever). Human disease ranges from asymptomatic to chronic pneumonia, and in severe cases, dissemination beyond the respiratory system can occur. If diagnosis is delayed or missed, the risk of severe disease increases.We sequenced seven clinical isolates from Northern Arizona Healthcare and compared the reads to other previously publish Arizona clinical strains. These Northern Arizona isolates are genetically related to Southern Arizona populations of Coccidioides, demonstrating infection may be acquired during travel to these highly endemic regions.