Biology ETDs
Publication Date
Fall 11-12-2021
Abstract
Coccidioidomycosis, caused by soil-dwelling species of Coccidioides, is endemic to the Southwestern United States. It can present as a mild respiratory illness to life-threatening disseminated infections.Multi-gene phylogenetics and tracing patient histories revealed the presence of both Coccidioides species in New Mexico, and Native Americans may represent an unrecognized risk group. A PCR method developed distinguishes Coccidioides species by targeting regions of the mitochondrial genome. Recent advancements in molecular genetics solidifies lungs are not sterile. Illumina community data from 199 small mammals from Arizona, California, and New Mexico demonstrated a great diversity of fungi inhabiting lung tissues. One dominant order, Onygenales, contained a high diversity of animal pathogens including Coccidioides and Blastomyces parvus. Coccidioides sequences were detected in 14 species, in relatively low abundance, and the presence of these sequences did not correlate with shifts in the overall mycobiome. Using both clinical and small mammal lung data, we can determine the distribution of Coccidioides in New Mexico and the greater Southwest.
Keywords
Valley Fever, Coccidioides, lung mycobiome
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Biology
Level of Degree
Doctoral
Department Name
UNM Biology Department
First Committee Member (Chair)
Donald Natvig
Second Committee Member
Joseph Cook
Third Committee Member
Diana Northup
Fourth Committee Member
Bridget Barker
Recommended Citation
Salazar-Hamm, Paris. "Breathing can be dangerous: Coccidioides and the diverse community of the lung mycobiome." (2021). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds/344