What is Valley Fever?

About Valley Fever:

• Valley Fever, also called coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides. 
• The fungus lives in soil in some areas, including the southwestern United States and south-central Washington, as well as in parts of Mexico as well as Central and South America.
• Transmission:  
  • People and animals can get Valley Fever by breathing in spores, generally from dust or disturbed soil, in areas where the fungus is found. 
  • Most people who breathe in spores do not get sick, but some people develop mild or severe forms of the disease. 
  • Valley fever does not generally spread from person to person or from animal to people, with rare exceptions due to organ transplantation or wound contact.
  • Symptoms:
  • Most of the time, Valley fever doesn’t cause symptoms or symptoms go away on their own.
  • Rarely, you can have ongoing lung issues or serious illness.
  • Only about 1% of those who are symptomatic go on to develop severe disease. Serious complications include:
    • Pnuemonia
    • Fluid or pus in your lungs (pleural effusion or empyema).
    • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
    • Ruptured pockets of fluid or air in your lungs (hydropneumothorax).
    • Disease spreads outside of your lungs (disseminated coccidioidomycosis). When coccidioidomycosis spreads to your brain, you can develop coccidioidal meningitis, a life-threatening condition.
• Treatment: Mild cases of valley fever usually resolve on their own. In more severe cases, doctors treat the infection with antifungal medications.