Endemic Fungal Infections in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Histoplasmosis, blastomycosis and coccidioidomycosis, are endemic mycoses that are prevalent in specific geographic regions. The environment is the main source for exposure to these fungi, with the respiratory tract serving as the primary portal of entry into the human body. The fungi associated with these diseases are thermally dimorphic; they exist as a mould form in the environment or in the laboratory at 25°C and convert to yeast form in tissues or at 37°C. Symptomatic disease occurs in both the immunocompetent and immunocompromised host with the severity of infection correlating with underlying immune status.