Paracoccidioidomycosis historical perspective

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Danitza Lukac

Paracoccidioidomycosis, also known as Lutz-Splendore-de Almeida disease, is named after Adolfo Lutz, Alfonso Splendore, and Floriano Paulo de Almeida, three physicians who first characterized the disease in Brazil in the early 20th century.^[1]

• Adolfo Lutz, a Brazilian physician, first discovered Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in 1908.
• In 1912, another Brazilian physician, Luigi Splendore, described the fungus and changed its name to Zimonema brasiliense.
• In 1930, Floriano de Almeida created the genus Paracoccidioides, noting significant differences from the Coccidioides genus.^[2]