Paracoccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection caused by the fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. It is a systemic mycosis that appears as a polygemulating yeast with a pilot's wheel-like appearance in biopsies.
This disease is referred to as the South American blastomycosis, due to its common presence in Latin America.
This disease is very commonly found in Brazil, and test takers should consider Paracoccidiomycosis in the differential of patients with lung infections who have recently traveled from Brazil.
This fungus has multiple buds arranged in a formation that resembles a captain's wheel of a ship.
This fungus measures 40-50 um in diameter, which is about 3 times the size of blastomycosis.
The infection can be asymptomatic, or may cause respiratory illness such as pneumonia. It has the ability to disseminate.
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