Paracoccidioides Species Complex: Ecology, Phylogeny, Sexual Reproduction, and Virulence

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a deep systemic mycosis caused by human fungal pathogens of the Paracoccidioides genus. The disease is geographically restricted to subtropical areas of Latin America (from south of Mexico to north of Argentina) with a high prevalence in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Argentina The annual incidence rate in Brazil is 10-30 infections per million inhabitants, and the mean mortality rate is 1.4 per million inhabitants per year, making this disease the highest cause of mortality among systemic mycoses PCM is endemic in rural populations and mainly affects individuals engaged in agricultural activities, who inhale aerosols containing fungal material during manipulation of the soil.