Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis with a variable clinical presentation. Misdiagnosis of coccidioidomycosis
as bacterial pneumopathy leads to inappropriate prescription of antibiotics and delayed diagnosis. This report
describes an outbreak among armadillo hunters in northeastern Brazil in which an initial diagnosis of bacterial
pneumonia was later confirmed as coccidioidomycosis caused by
Coccidioides posadasii
. Thus, this mycosis should
be considered as an alternative diagnosis in patients reporting symptoms of pneumonia, even if these symptoms are
only presented for a short period, who are from areas considered endemic for this disease.