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Coccidioidomycosis - acute (primary) pulmonary   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Valley fever; San Joaquin Valley fever

Definition:

An infection caused by breathing in a fungus found in the soil in certain parts of the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America.

Causes and Risks

Infection begins in the lungs and is caused by breathing in spores of a fungus, Coccidioides immitis, found in desert regions. About 60% of infections resolve without ever causing symptoms and are only recognized by a positive coccidioidin skin test. In the remaining 40% symptoms range from mild such as cold-like or flu-like symptoms to severe, such as pneumonia. One percent of infections can spread from the lungs through the blood stream to involve the skin, bones, joints, lymph nodes, and central nervous system or other organs. Individuals of African or Phillipine descent and people with a weak immune system, such as AIDS patients, can develop more serious infections. Occasionally the acute infection can develop into a chronic pulmonary (lung) disease or can "reactivate" after a long latent period. A history of travel to an endemic region is the key to suspecting coccidioidal infection. Arizona, California (especially San Joaquin Valley), and to a lesser extent western Texas are endemic regions in the USA.

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