TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Fungal Respiratory Infections A1 - Flerlage, Tim A1 - Gaur, Aditya H. A1 - Wolf, Joshua A2 - Kline, Mark W. Y1 - 2018 N1 - T2 - Rudolph's Pediatrics, 23e AB - Fungi are widely distributed in the environment and are uncommon respiratory pathogens in children or adolescents. Fungi causing infection can be viewed as 2 main groups: those that cause endemic mycoses (eg, Histoplasma and Blastomyces species), which can lead to disease in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts; and those considered opportunistic fungal pathogens (eg, Aspergillus and Mucor species), which primarily cause disease in immunocompromised hosts (Fig. 237-1). Although the endemic mycoses can be severe in otherwise healthy hosts, especially when exposed to a large infectious inoculum, infection is more often mild and self-limiting or even subclinical. In contrast, the endemic mycoses and opportunistic fungal pathogens can cause life-threatening pulmonary infections in patients with primary or secondary immunodeficiency. Early diagnosis of respiratory fungal infection is a challenge in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. The initial clinical findings are nonspecific and are similar to other more common bacterial and viral infections. Critical to an early diagnosis is a clinician’s index of suspicion, which is influenced by recognition of the host’s immune status and vulnerability to fungal infections. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1182934746 ER -