Coccidioides immitis, lung, photomicrograph, PAS stain
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The spherule of Coccidioides mimics the tissue cyst of Toxoplasma gondii, ( a member of the family Coccidia), therefore, the -oid is added to denote "coccidia-like". The spherule usually does not provoke an inflammatory response until it ruptures, or antigens "leak out". The endospores within the spherule may provoke an acute inflammatory react