Paracoccidioidomycosis: a recently proposed classification of its clinical forms

Abstract

Many attempts have been made to define the cli nical forms of human paracoccidioidomycosis15. Several classifications are based on different para meters of the disease such as entry route (tegumentary or pulmorary15); presence or absence of signs and/or symptoms (infection vs. disease2 14); organs involved (lymphatic form; pulmonary form15); presen ce or absence of activity (active; latent12); type of evolution (progressive; regressive12 20); duration of the disease (acute; subacute; chronic4); clinical course (localised; systemic4 26); type of infection (primary; endogenous or exogenous reinfection19); presence or absence of sequelae (cor pulmonale; Addison's disea se12); pathological anatomy (isolated organic form; pseudotumoral forms22) and immunohistological res ponse (polar forms21).