Coccidioidomycosis During Pregnancy: A Review and Recommendations for Management

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 363 - 368
• Main Authors: Bercovitch, Robert S., Catanzaro, Antonino, Schwartz, Brian S., Pappagianis, Demosthenes, Watts, D.Heather, Ampel, Neil M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 15.08.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Antifungal Agents - adverse effects; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Antifungals; Azoles; Biological and medical sciences; Coccidioidomycosis; Coccidioidomycosis - drug therapy; Dosage; Drug dosages; Female; First trimester of pregnancy; Fungal infections; Human mycoses; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Meningitis; Mycoses; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - drug therapy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - microbiology; Prenatal development; REVIEW ARTICLE; Risk factors; Tropical mycoses; Infection; Pregnancy; Clinical management; Mycosis; Coccidioidomycosis; Recommendation; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1093/cid/cir410

Pregnancy is an established risk factor for the development of severe and disseminated coccidioidomycosis, particularly when infection is acquired during the later stages of gestation. Although recent studies suggest that the incidence of symptomatic coccidioidomycosis during pregnancy is decreasing and that outcome has improved, management is complicated by the observations that azole antifungal agents can be teratogenic when given to some women, particularly at high doses, early in pregnancy. This article summarizes the data on these issues and offers guidance on the management of coccidioidomycosis during pregnancy.