Valley Fever is a disease caused by breathing in the spores of a fungus called Coccidioides. A fungus is a member of the plant family. Molds and mushrooms are examples of other members of the fungus group of plants. Learning about this disease can help prevent you from getting the disease.Keeping this in view, where is Valley Fever most common in California?
Valley fever has been diagnosed in people living throughout California, but most cases are reported in people living in the Central Valley and Central Coast.
Also, how common is valley fever in Arizona? Valley fever is common in the southwestern United States. In the U.S., over 65 percent of all valley fever cases occur in Arizona, and 30 percent occur in California. Most other cases occur in Nevada, Utah and New Mexico. Valley fever is a risk for people who live in these states but also for people who visit there.
Subsequently, one may also ask, is Valley Fever a respiratory infection?
Valley fever is a fungal lung infection that can be devastating. Learning about Valley fever can help you and your doctor recognize the symptoms early. Valley fever is an infection caused by a fungus that lives in the soil. Valley fever can be misdiagnosed because its symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses.
Is Valley Fever deadly in dogs?
Valley Fever can be fatal if left untreated; however, once we diagnose the disease most pets will recover in time. Usually symptoms subside fairly rapidly once we initiate treatment. In rare cases the fungus will enter areas of the body (near the heart or in the brain) that complicate treatment.
Who is most likely to get Valley Fever?
Valley fever can affect people of any age, but it's most common in adults aged 60 and older. Certain groups of people may be at higher risk for developing the severe forms of Valley fever, such as: People who have weakened immune systems, for example, people who: Have HIV/AIDS.What are the first symptoms of Valley Fever?
Symptoms of Valley fever include: - Fatigue (tiredness)
- Cough.
- Fever.
- Shortness of breath.
- Headache.
- Night sweats.
- Muscle aches or joint pain.
- Rash on upper body or legs.
Can Valley Fever affect the heart?
Disseminated valley fever This is the most serious form of valley fever. It happens when the infection spreads from the lungs to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. It can affect many organs, and particularly the skin, liver, brain, bones, meninges, and heart.How do you catch Valley Fever?
Valley Fever is a disease caused by a fungus (or mold) called Coccidioides. The fungi live in the soil of dry areas like the southwestern U.S. You get it from inhaling the spores of the fungus. The infection cannot spread from person to person. Workers in jobs that expose them to soil dust.Where is valley fever in Arizona?
Valley fever is one of the most commonly reported infectious diseases in Arizona, and of those cases, 94 percent are in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, all desert areas.How do you test for valley fever?
The most common way that healthcare providers test for Valley fever is by taking a blood sample and sending it to a laboratory to look for Coccidioides antibodies or antigens. Healthcare providers may do imaging tests such as chest x-rays or CT scans of your lungs to look for Valley fever pneumonia.What states can you get Valley Fever?
The fungus that causes Valley fever lives in the soil in the southwestern United States, south-central Washington State, and parts of Mexico and Central and South America.Can you have Valley Fever and not know it?
The majority of people infected with Valley Fever either have no symptoms or experience common symptoms like cough, headache, joint pain and night sweats that are similar to a cold or the flu. But for some, untreated Valley Fever can lead to chronic fatigue, severe weight loss, pneumonia, meningitis or even death.How long does a blood test for valley fever take?
Traditional serology tests take between 48 and 72 hours, but some labs, including the Kern County Public Health Services Department laboratory, can turn around immunodiffusion tests in 24 hours and complement fixation tests in about three hours to confirm the disease in the body, according to Valley Fever AmericasWhat time of year is valley fever worse?
Valley fever season starts this month. Most cases surface between September and November, but through August this year more than 5,000 cases were reported in California, putting the state on pace for a new record. “We're seeing a huge increase in new cases in the past two-and-a-half years.What does valley fever do to the lungs?
The chronic form of the infection can cause lung abscesses and scarring in your lungs. There's roughly a one percent chance that the fungal infection could spread to the rest of your body, causing disseminated valley fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .Is Valley Fever a fungal infection?
Valley fever is a fungal infection caused by coccidioides (kok-sid-e-OY-deze) organisms. It can cause fever, chest pain and coughing, among other signs and symptoms. Two species of coccidioides fungi cause valley fever. These fungi are commonly found in soil in specific regions.What are the long term effects of Valley Fever?
Most people who have Valley fever will make a full recovery. A small percent of people develop long-term lung infections that can take several years to get better. In very severe cases of Valley fever, the nervous system can be affected and there may be long-term damage, but this is very rare.What is the best treatment for valley fever?
In general, the antifungal drugs fluconazole (Diflucan) or itraconazole (Sporanox, Onmel) are used for all but the most serious forms of coccidioidomycosis disease. All antifungals can have serious side effects. However, these side effects usually go away once the medication is stopped.Can you get valley fever twice?
You can get valley fever if you breathe in the fungus ( Coccidioides immitis) that causes the disease. After getting better, most people will not get valley fever again. This is called being immune. But valley fever can come back again in people who have weak immune systems and can't fight infection.Can Valley Fever lay dormant?
Most babies who get Valley Fever probably acquire it during or shortly after birth, through inhaling fungal spores from the environment. Does the fungus lay dormant in the body? In many cases the fungus does remain in the body. This has been found to occur in many patients with AIDS and disseminated Valley Fever.What does a fungal infection in the lungs look like?
Aspergillosis is infection, usually of the lungs, caused by the fungus Aspergillus. A ball of fungus fibers, blood clots, and white blood cells may form in the lungs or sinuses. People may have no symptoms or may cough up blood or have a fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. 
