A 45-year-old construction worker from Arizona presents with 2-week fever (38.5°C), productive cough, and erythema nodosum. Vitals show HR 102 bpm, RR 22, SpO2 98% on room air. Chest X-ray reveals bilateral hilar infiltrates with nodules. Coccidioidal serology is positive; sputum cultures remain negative. He denies hemoptysis. Taking no immunosuppressive medications. Which of the following best describes the pathogenesis of coccidioidomycosis?
- A)Demonstrates thermal dimorphism with yeast in soil at 25°C
- B)Forms pseudohyphae and budding cells exclusively in lung tissue
- C)Dimorphic fungus with mycelial form in soil; spherules with endospores in lungsGABARITO
- D)Yeast form at body temperature; hyphae at environmental temperature
- E)Produces aflatoxins causing pulmonary hemorrhage and inflammation
Explicação
Coccidioides immitis is a dimorphic fungus found in soil of arid/semiarid regions. It exists as mycelium in soil (infectious form inhaled as arthroconidia) and converts to spherules containing endospores in the lungs at 37°C. This dimorphism is characteristic ... Ver explicação completa e trilha adaptativa →