Accelerating research to keep pace with the rising incidence of coccidioidomycosis.

The number of infections caused by the fungal pathogen Coccidioides is rising. In tandem, the number and breadth of researchers studying this important dimorphic fungal pathogen are growing as well. This review focuses on recent advances in the field and identifies areas primed for ongoing rapid growth, with the goal to improve treatments for coccidioidomycosis as soon as reasonably possible. These areas include building genetic tools, high-throughput drug screening, developing immunomodulatory therapies for coccidioidomycosis, and incorporating research methodologies that can be performed outside of the biosafety level 3 laboratory.