Adiaspiromycosis and diseases caused by related fungi in ajellomycetaceae
Adiaspiromycosis, classically caused by Emmonsia species, is primarily a pulmonary disease affecting small mammals, especially members of the orders Rodentia and Carnivora. The disease name derives from the tissue form of the fungus (adiaspores), which develops when the inhaled conidia of the mycelial form of the fungus present in soil enlarge in lungs to produce thick-walled non-replicative structures. Emmonsia crescens has apparently worldwide distribution and is associated with very large adiaspores (up to 400 μm). The type species of Emmonsia, E. parva, however, is now recognised to be a Blastomyces species and its 'small adiaspores' are comparable to the broad-based budding cells current in that genus. This chapter briefly summarises current knowledge concerning taxonomy, epidemiology, biology and clinical syndromes of the principal etiological agents of adiaspiromycosis in mammals.
