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Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is an endemic systemic infection in several countries of Latin America. The few registered cases in Mexico most likely do not reflect the real frequency. Disseminate the epidemiological and clinical data of unreported cases of PCM in Mexico from 1972 until 2012 is the aim of this work. Epidemiological and clinical information of non-published cases of PCM was requested from the principal mycological diagnosis centres in Mexico. A total of 93 cases were received. The infection was found predominantly in men (95.7%), peasants (88.5%) and individual between 31 and 60 years of age. Most of the cases were found in tropical areas of the Gulf of Mexico (54.84%) and the Pacific littoral (20.3%). The main sites of dissemination were the oral mucosa (39.38%) and skin (34.05%). The most effective treatments were itraconazole alone and the combination of itraconazole with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. PCM is a subdiagnosed pathology in Mexico. Therefore, adequate training is necessary to determine the current status of this mycosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis is a chronic or subacute granulomatous mycosis. It is caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and although it can affect any organ, the most commonly affected are: lung, oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, skin, lymph nodes, suprarenal glands and central nervous system. Objective: To report epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cases assisted at the Centro Dermatologico Pascua. Material and methods: We made a retrospective transversal study at the Centro Dermatologico Pascua, from 1956 to 2006. Results: During 50 years (1956 to 2006), we studied a total of 43,251 first time patients, of whom 12 (0.03%), all men, had clinical diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis. Conclusions: In most cases, the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis was delayed largely due to low awareness that first contact physician have of this condition, leading to misdiagnosis. It is necessary to deepen the knowledge of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of this fungal infection, to better study and treat our patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]