Fungus Amongus!

A quick guide to recognizing the most common fungal diseases

Which fungus is this??? You should be able to ID it by the end of this article! *

Diagnosing fungal diseases can be challenging, but by learning the differences in size, appearance, and geographic distribution, you can confidently classify them when you encounter them. Let’s begin!

Geographic Distribution

The major fungal pathogens in the United States are endemic in different regions:

• Coccidiomycosis or “valley fever” is primarily found in the dry deserts of the Southwest (think Southern California through Arizona and west Texas)

• The range of Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis overlap to a degree, but the former is more associated with the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions stretching into the upper portions of the South, while the latter is found most often in the Mississippi river regions of the Midwest and Gulf Coast

• Cryptococcus neoformans is ubiquitous and found throughout the US and internationally, while C. gattii is more prevalent on the west coast (particularly the Pacific Northwest)

Notes of caution: