n. an infection caused by inhaling the spores of the fungus Coccidioides immitis. In 60% of patients infection produces no symptoms at all. In the primary form there is an influenza-like illness that usually resolves within about eight weeks. In a few patients the disease becomes progressive and resembles tuberculosis. Severe or progressive infections are treated with intravenous injections of amphotericin. The disease is endemic in the desert areas of the Americas, especially the southwestern United States, northern Mexico, and northern Argentina.
n. (pl. granulomata or granulomas) a localized collection of cells, usually produced in response to an infectious process, that is characterized by the presence of aggregates of epithelioid *histiocytes; giant cells, monocytes, or lymphocytes may also be present. The types of cells comprising a granuloma (of which there may be many or few) and their arrangement can assist in diagnosing the cause of the response; this is important in the diagnosis of tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, Crohn’s disease, and the presence of certain foreign bodies (e.g. starch, talc). Other conditions giving rise to granulomata include syphilis, leprosy, and coccidioidomycosis, and a granuloma may also occur around the apex of a tooth root as a result of inflammation or infection of its pulp. —granulomatous adj.... granuloma
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