Coccidioides posadasii in Caribe

Coccidioides posadasii is a pathogenic fungus that causes coccidioidomycosis in the southwestern United States, Central and South Americas. The exact range of C. posadasii and its role on human and animal infections in Central and South America is undetermined: the disease in these countries is sub-notified to local health departments, and fewer than 1,000 total coccidioidomycosis cases across the region have been reported. The Caribbean region is bordered by the Caribbean Sea, and its surrounding continental landscapes and islands may play an important role in the dispersion of C. posadasii across South America through Southeastern Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Venezuela. To better define the genetic distribution and population dynamics of C. posadasii in Central and South America, we de novo sequenced the genomes of 6 Coccidioides sp. clinical isolates from Venezuela, 2 from Mexico as well 1 from Texas and 1 from Florida (USA).