Abstract
Coccidioides immitis, the highly virulent cause of coccidioidomycosis and the only eukaryote regulated under the US Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, has plagued people since ancient times. Recent DNA analysis indicates that South American varieties of this pathogenic fungus probably arrived on the scene some 9000–140 000 years ago. This debut coincides with the migration of humans into South America, who are suspected of bringing C. immitis along with them for the ride. Even today, visitors to the deserts of the New World sometimes carry Coccidioides back home to unexposed areas of the globe. AV (http://www.pnas.org)
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