Background: The relationship between asthma and coccidioidomycosis has not been fully described. We have hypothesised that Coccidioides could trigger inflammatory airway responses, similar to other fungi.
Objectives: To estimate the frequency of new-onset asthma-related symptoms after coccidioidomycosis and identify potentially associated factors.
Patients/methods: We used a large health insurance claims database to identify patients with coccidiomycosis with and without an asthma diagnosis code or a short-acting β2 agonist prescription in the year after diagnosis.
Results: Thirteen per cent of 1657 patients with an asthma diagnosis code or a short-acting β2 agonist prescription (median 2.5 months later).
Conclusions: Increased healthcare provider awareness of asthma as a potential coccidioidomycosis complication could benefit patients, especially female patients and patients with severe pulmonary infection.
Keywords: United States; asthma; coccidioidomycosis; health insurance.
Published 2025. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.