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Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis)

By: Carly Strickland

Possible Complications:

• Serious or long-term lung problems

• Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis

• Acute pneumonia

• Meningitis and possibly death

• Valley fever causes about 50 to 100 deaths in the U.S. each year

Treatment and Vaccines:

Signs and Symptoms:

• Symptoms usually go away without treatment

• No over-the-counter medications

• Antifungal medication that usually lasts 3-6 months

• There is no available vaccine to prevent Valley fever

Causative Agent:

• Dimorphic fungus Coccidioides immitis

• Flu-like symptoms that go away on their own

• Fatigue, cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, chest pain, night sweats, swelling of legs and feet, joint pain, rash on upper body or legs

• Incubation period: 1 to 3 weeks

• Symptoms that last longer than a few weeks may suggest a serious infection

Other Prevention

Methods:

Basic Information:

• Very difficult to prevent breathing in the fungus

• Avoid dusty places

• Stay inside during storms and close windows

• Wear an N95 respirator in dusty areas

• Avoid yard work, gardening, and digging

• Fungal pulmonary disease

• Fungus lives in soil of Southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America

• Difficult to prevent exposure

• Rare infection

• Can affect anyone, but certain groups are higher risk

• 100,000 infections each year

Diagnostic Laboratory Testing:

Current Research:

• Healthcare providers and laboratories must report Valley fever cases

• The CDC works to raise awareness

• The CDC is currently researching treatment

Mode of Transmission:

• Identify spheres of the fungus in tissue or fluids

• Serological tests and DNA probes

• X-rays and CT scans identify Valley fever pneumonia

• Whole Genome Sequencing and Advanced Molecular Detection

• Inhalation

• Fungus is carried by the wind (farming, construction, earthquakes)

• Valley fever is not contagious

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