Clinical-epidemiological characteristics of paracoccidioidomycosis and presence of Paracoccidioides spp. in the natural environment in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil: an 81-year literature survey

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), caused by fungi of the genus Paracoccidioides, is the main endemic mycosis in Brazil, with serious social and public-health impacts. Although the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil is an area of high endemicity, data on PCM in this state are very sparse. Here, an exhaustive literature search was conducted for PCM cases reported in Rio Grande do Sul, in addition to the environmental occurrence of Paracoccidioides spp. in the state. From 1942 to 2023, 52 studies were found, encompassing a total of 1576 PCM cases. The male : female ratio was 15 : 1, and the most affected age group was 41–60 years. Lesions were reported at 11 different anatomical sites, with a predominance of the lungs and upper aerodigestive tract mucosa. Data such as treatment and mortality were rarely reported. Cases were recorded in 30% of the municipalities in the state, predominantly in the northern region. Regarding the environmental presence of Paracoccidioides spp., anti-P. brasiliensis and anti-P. lutzii antibodies have been identified in several animal species in addition to isolation of the fungi from soil samples. Although a literature search is useful for a basic knowledge of PCM occurrence, the need for epidemiological surveillance of the disease in Rio Grande do Sul is urgent, considering its high endemicity and occurrence in all regions of the state.