Coccidioides immitis and posadasii; A review of their biology, genomics, pathogenesis, and host immunity

ABSTRACT

Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii are two highly pathogenic dimorphic fungal species that are endemic in the arid areas of the new world, including the region from west Texas to southern and central California in the USA that cause coccidioidomycosis (also known as Valley Fever). In highly endemic regions such as southern Arizona, up to 50% of long term residents have been infected. New information about fungal population genetics, ecology, epidemiology, and host-pathogen interactions is becoming available. However, our understanding of some aspects of coccidioidomycosis is still incomplete, including the extent of genetic variability of the fungus, the genes involved in virulence, and how the changes in gene expression during the organism’s dimorphic life cycle are related to the transformation from a free-living mold to a parasitic spherule. Unfortunately, efforts to develop an effective subunit vaccine have not yet been productive, although two potential live fungus vaccines have been developed.

KEYWORDS:

• Fungi
• Coccidioides
• coccidioidomycosis
• dimorphism
• spherule
• genome
• transcriptome
• immunity
• vaccine

Abbreviations

PCR	=	polymerase chain reaction
INF	=	interferon
TNF	=	tumor necrosis factor
IL	=	interleukin
Stat	=	signal transducer and activator of transcription
KO	=	knocked out
THT	=	helper cell
NOS	=	nitric oxide synthetase
NADPH	=	nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the None [N/A];