BRONCHOPULMONARY GEOTRICHOSIS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

THE INCREASED interest in fungous diseases of the lung is attested by the large number of articles appearing in the literature during the past few years. This impetus apparently was initiated during World War II because of the numerous cases of benign coccidioidomycosis that developed in certain troop units. Smith¹ suggested that histoplasmosis also may occur endemically in a benign form. Subsequently, many surveys and studies were undertaken throughout the United States and the relationship of nontuberculous pulmonary calcifications to benign histoplasmosis has been established. While studying coccidioidomycosis in the military service, one of us (R. H. K.) observed a case of bronchopulmonary mycosis which roentgenologically resembled tuberculosis and coccidioidomycosis, but which was proved to be caused by Geotrichum, a related fungus.² According to Dodge,³ only 12 cases of Geotrichum infection had been reported by 1935, 8 of which were infections of the respiratory tract. In 1933,