An elderly woman is experiencing fever,chest pain,difficulty breathing,and a cough that occasionally brings up mucus containing blood.She reports having visited family in rural New Mexico over the Labor Day weekend.A GMS-stained sample from her lungs shows the presence of large spherules.Which of the following is the most likely infecting agent?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms presented by the patient are indicative of a systemic fungal infection. The presence of large spherules in the GMS-stained sample from her lungs suggests the presence of Coccidioides immitis, the causative agent of coccidioidomycosis or Valley fever. This fungus is commonly found in soil of the southwestern United States, particularly in rural areas of New Mexico, and can cause respiratory symptoms similar to those experienced by the patient. The other options listed are causative agents of systemic fungal infections, but their geographic distribution and clinical presentations differ from those of C. immitis.

An Elderly Woman Is Experiencing Fever,chest Pain,difficulty Breathing,and a Cough