Congenital Coccidioidomycosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Coccidioidomycosis in neonates is rare and the acquisition of disease in this age group is not well understood. Congenital coccidioidomycosis is very rare, usually associated with coccidioidal placentitis. Only a handful of cases of congenital coccidioidomycosis have been described in the literature. We describe an infant with congenital coccidioidomycosis delivered by cesarean section to a mother who was diagnosed with disseminated disease in the second trimester and summarize the available literature on congenital coccidioidomycosis.

Neonatal Coccidioidomycosis: A Case Report

“… 1 Current literature suggests that congenital coccidioidomycosis is very rare, limited to a few case reports. 2 – 4 …”

“…The route of transmission is often debated in the literature, and there are case reports describing both vertical and transplacental transmission. 2,3,[5][6][7] The large size of the spherule and granulomatous reaction has been hypothesized as potential explanations for rare transplacental transmission. 5 In nonvertically transmitted cases, the infant likely had a primary infection by inhalation of aerosolized spores into the lungs after birth.…”

“…1 Current literature suggests that congenital coccidioidomycosis is very rare, limited to a few case reports. [2][3][4] The infant's presentation at 2 weeks of life with no known exposure in the NICU, along with the mother's illness and subsequent positive serology, raises a high index of suspicion for vertical transmission of coccidioidomycosis in the neonate. The route of transmission is often debated in the literature, and there are case reports describing both vertical and transplacental transmission.…”