Valley Fever

Valley Fever Latest News

A 37-year-old Indian tech professional based in California recently died after battling Valley fever, a rare fungal infection that damaged his lungs and led to respiratory failure.

About Valley Fever

• Valley fever, also known as acute coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection that primarily affects the lungs.
• It is caused by the Coccidioides fungus, which grows in dry and dusty soil in parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and regions of Central and South America. 

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Valley Fever Transmission

• The fungi’s spores can be stirred into the air by anything that disrupts the soil, such as farming, construction, and wind.
• People can then breathe the fungi into their lungs. 
• Pets can also become infected. 
• It does not spread from person to person or between people and animals.

Valley Fever Symptoms

• Symptoms often resemble the flu or pneumonia and may include fever, cough, chest pain, fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, and joint pain.
• While many cases remain mild or go undetected, some infections can become severe and lead to serious lung complications. 
• In rare instances, the infection spreads beyond the lungs to other organs, causing a life-threatening condition known as disseminated coccidioidomycosis.

Valley Fever Treatment

• Mild cases of valley fever usually resolve on their own. 
• In more-severe cases, doctors treat the infection with antifungal medications.
• Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the infected part of the lung (for chronic or severe disease).
• There is no vaccine to prevent valley fever.

Source: IT