Abstract
Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic disease found in the southwestern part of North
America. Travellers who visit the endemic area may carry the infection. We
report a case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in a 74-year-old woman. She was
healthy before visiting Arizona, U.S.A twice. After returning home, she began to
complain of intermittent dry coughing. The symptom was mild, however, and she
was treated symptomatically. Later a chest radiograph, which was taken 4 years
after the onset of the symptom, showed a solitary pulmonary nodule in the right
upper lobe. By percutaneous needle aspiration, a few clusters of atypical cells
were noted in the necrotic background. A right upper and middle lobectomy was
done. A 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.2 cm sized tan nodule was present in otherwise normal lung
parenchyma. Microscopically, the nodule consisted of aggregates of multiple
solid granulomas inside of which was mostly necrotic. Neutrophils and nuclear
debris were scattered along the periphery of the necrotic foci. Numerous
multinucleated giant cells were associated with the granulomas. In the necrotic
area, mature spherules of Coccidioides immitis, which were 30-100 microm in
diameter, were present. They contained numerous endospores which ranged from 5
to 15 microm and were also noted in multinucleated giant cells. The diagnosis of
coccidioidomycosis was made. She is doing well after the resection.