Reactivation of Coccidioidomycosis in a Mouse Model of Asymptomatic Controlled Disease.

ABSTRACT: The majority of human coccidioidomycosis infections are asymptomatic or self-limited but may have sequestered spherules in highly structured granulomas. Under immunosuppression, reactivation of fungal growth can result in severe disease. B6D2F1 mice asymptomatically infected with C. posadasii strain 1038 were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone (DXM) in drinking water. Treated mice died 16-25 days later, while untreated mice survived (p < 0.001). Flow cytometry of lung granulomas on days 5, 10, 15, and 20 of DXM treatment showed immune cell populations decreased 0.5-1 log compared with untreated mice though neutrophils and CD19⁺IgD^-IgM^- cells rebounded by day 20. Histopathology demonstrated loss of granuloma structure by day 5 and increasin

SUBMITTER: Shubitz LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9605249 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature