Natural history of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis: Further examination of the VA-Armed Forces Database.

There are still many limitations related to the understanding of the natural history of differing forms of coccidioidomycosis (CM), including characterizing the spectrum of pulmonary disease. The historical Veterans Administration-Armed Forces database, recorded primarily before the advent of antifungal therapy, presents an opportunity to characterize the natural history of pulmonary CM. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 342 armed forces service members who were diagnosed with pulmonary CM at VA facilities between 1955 to 1958, followed through 1966, who did not receive antifungal therapy.

Natural History of Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis: Examination of the Veterans Affairs-Armed Forces Database.

Background: The natural history of non-central nervous system (non-CNS) disseminated coccidioidomycosis (DCM) has not been previously characterized. The historical Veterans Affairs (VA)-Armed Forces coccidioidomycosis patient group provides a unique cohort of patients not treated with standard antifungal therapy, allowing for characterization of the natural history of coccidioidomycosis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 531 VA-Armed Forces coccidioidomycosis patients diagnosed between 1955-1958 and followed to 1966.

Engagement with electronic screen media among students with autism spectrum disorders.

This study investigated the relative engagement potential of four types of electronic screen media (ESM): animated video, video of self, video of a familiar person engaged with an immersive virtual reality (VR) game, and immersion of self in the VR game. Forty-two students with autism, varying in age and expressive communication ability, were randomly assigned to the experimental conditions. Gaze duration and vocalization served as dependent measures of engagement.

The natural history of coccidioidal meningitis: VA-Armed Forces cooperative studies, 1955-1958.

From records on the clinical course of 699 military and veteran patients who had coccidioidomycosis before the advent of effective antifungal therapy, we identified 25 cases in which the manifestations of meningeal dissemination were described. Of 21 patients who had an identifiable initial infection, 16 developed meningeal symptoms (most frequently headache, vomiting, and nuchal rigidity) within the next 6 months. Associated pulmonary lesions were significantly more frequent in the right than in the left lung, as was also the case among 47 matched control patients who had coccidioidomycosis but not meningitis.