A fungal disease with a tough name to pronounce, coccidiomycosis is often known by the more common name of valley fever (or even San Joaquin fever). Valley fever occurs as either a mild lung infection that disappears without treatment (the acute primary form) or a progressive severe infection that may spread throughout the body and cause death. The most severe cases usually occur in those whose immune systems are already compromised. Most people who contract valley fever have few if any symptoms. The major ones begin 1-3 weeks after exposure and usually are fever, chest pain and chills, not unlike a flu syndrome. One sign that the disease may be more serious is if the individual spits up blood from the lungs. Other more severe symptoms may progress and include inflammation of the eye surface, joint pains, and skin nodules (erythema nodosum).

Doctors generally suspect valley fever if a person who lives in or has recently traveled through an infected area develops many of the above symptoms, and if these symptoms progress longer than a normal flu-like disease would clear. It generally takes several days for the laboratory to grow out the fungus and to be sure of the diagnosis. Chest X-Rays are often normal.

When the disease is diagnosed but there are not marked physical nor respiratory signs, generally no treatment is given, and the body's immune system generally clears out the infection. For progressive disease, strong medication such as Amphoteracin B (which is very toxic in and of itself) may be used intravenously. This IV treatment may have to be continued for years.

The information contained on this page is not intended to provide medical advice, which should be obtained directly from your physician.