Banca de DEFESA: JACOB OLIVEIRA DUARTE

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : JACOB OLIVEIRA DUARTE
DATE: 16/05/2024
TIME: 10:00
LOCAL: Sala de Videoconferência - FAMED
TITLE:

Coccidioidomycosis: A Case Series in Cariri, Ceará

KEY WORDS:

Coccidioidomicose, Coccidioides, Brazil

PAGES: 69
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Medicina
SUMMARY:

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection that can particularly affect the lungs
in mammals. It is endemic in the Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico, and
certain areas of Central and South America. Specifically, in Brazil, it is described in the
Northeast region of the country. Its etiological agents are the dimorphic fungi
Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii found in the dry soil of regions with
low rainfall. Individuals who are exposed to contaminated dry soil can inhale the
infective form of the fungus (arthroconidia) and develop Coccidioidomycosis. In Brazil,
official data is scarce, and scientific literature describes only a few hundred cases of
this pathology in series and reports. Considering the scarcity of described cases, a 

descriptive trial was conducted based on diagnosed cases of Coccidioidomycosis
between the years 2012 and 2022, at a tertiary hospital in the Cariri region of Ceará,
located in the northeastern semiarid. The study was conducted based on the analysis
of medical records, identifying cases of Coccidioidomycosis diagnosed by clinical
and/or laboratory data and discussing their clinical and epidemiological aspects.
Thirteen patients from 7 municipalities in the Central-South and South of Ceará were
identified, all male with habits of armadillo hunting, with an average age of 19 years.
The main clinical manifestations were cough, fever, and chest pain. In the sample,
15% of patients were diagnosed by serology, 8% by microscopy, and 77% of cases
received a diagnosis based on clinical, radiological, epidemiological, and therapeutic
response. Ninety-two percent of patients were treated with antifungals. Clinical
improvement with hospital discharge occurred in 92% of patients, and only 1 patient
progressed to death. The data obtained corroborate with the information from scientific
literature that the coverage area of the reference hospital is endemic for
Coccidioidomycosis. However, local resources for confirmatory diagnosis of this
pathology were found to be deficient, with a high rate of presumptive diagnosis. This
study highlights the need for actions by health surveillance systems, greater attention
from physicians in their routine, and more efficiency in diagnosing Coccidioidomycosis
in endemic areas of Brazil.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo à Instituição - MARCELO ALCANTARA HOLANDA - UFC
Presidente - CLAUDIO GLEIDISTON LIMA DA SILVA
Interna - ESTELITA LIMA CANDIDO
Interno - MARCOS ANTONIO PEREIRA DE LIMA