coccidioidomycosis

[ kok-sid-ee-oi-doh-mahy-koh-sis ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a fungal infection caused by inhaling Coccidioides spores, characterized by fever, respiratory illness, and reddish bumps on the skin, contracted especially in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America: While not an uncommon ailment, most people who breathe in the spores do not develop an infection.

coccidioidomycosis

/ kɒkˌsɪdɪˌɔɪdəʊmaɪˈkəʊsɪs /

noun

1. a disease of the skin or viscera, esp the lungs, caused by infection with the fungus Coccidioides immitis

Word History and Origins

Origin of coccidioidomycosis¹

First recorded in 1935–40; Coccidioid(es) ( def ) + -o- ( def ) + mycosis ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of coccidioidomycosis¹

C20: from New Latin Coccidioides + -o- + mycosis

Example Sentences

The scientific term for the disease is coccidioidomycosis, most commonly known as valley fever.

From The Daily Beast