Valley Fever

Yes, it can act like emphysema.

lungs

It can spread to other organs by way of the blood. I can cause severe brain damage.

Valley fever is the initial form and can develop into chronic and disseminated coccidioidomycosis. It depends on whether Valley fever stays in the initial form or becomes chronic or disseminated.

The initial form mild, with few symptoms. Later, one to three weeks after exposure, flu like systems appear.

Fever

Cough

Chest pain, at time very severe

Chills

Night sweats

Joint aches

Red, spotty rash

Sometimes long-term effects are joint pains and other arthritis like symptoms. It can take as long as six months or more to get over the initial form.

Infection with this fungi does confer immunity.

Talk to your vet.

No. The only way you can get Valley fever is if you inhale a floating fungal spore blown on the wind.

Any severe cold, pneumonia or smoker's cough could mimic valley fever.

If your dog has Valley Fever and is pregnant, best would be a trip to the vet. It could spread to the puppies.

Coccidioidomycoses is called Valley fever because many cases occurred in San Joaquin Valley.

Yes. People with immune compromised systems are more susceptible to Valley fever. For example, it is found more commonly in prisons because many prisoners have immuno-suppression due to HIV.

Valley Fever is a fungal infection which is known in medical terms as Coccidioidomycosis. It is caused by the fungus Coccidioides.

Valley fever is gotten by inhaling a fungus spore. Not passed like a cold from one person to another. Animals other than humans can get the same disease but it must be by way of inhaling the fungus not by transmission from one animal to another.

Two species of coccidioides fungi cause valley fever and are commonly found in the soil and can be stirred into the air by farming, construction and wind. If you go to a fair in areas where it is common, yes you could get it.

This is question that you should ask your doctor. Perhaps you can ask what are the drugs you should not take?

Probably not. however infections are believed to bring on outbreaks in those that are predisposed to it.

This a viral disease compared to valley fever in the South West US which is an inhaled fungal disease.

The disease is caused by the RVF virus, a member of the genus Phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae. The disease was first reported among livestock by veterinary officers in Africa in the early 1900s.

If you were in Africa, you might think that you have Rift Valley Fever, otherwise if you think it is valley fever, see the doctor and have an antibody test done.

This a viral disease compared to valley fever in the South West US which is an inhaled fungal disease. The disease was first reported among livestock by veterinary officers in Kenya, Africa.

People with RVF typically have either no symptoms or a mild illness associated with fever and liver abnormalities. However, in some patients the illness can progress to hemorrhagic fever ,encephalitis which can lead to headaches, coma, or seizures or ocular disease.

Patients who become ill usually experience fever, generalized weakness, back pain, dizziness, and extreme weight loss at the beginning of the illness.

Treatment:

1. Rest

2. Antifungal medications such as fluconazole or itraconazole (Sporanox, Onmel)

All antifungals can have serious side effects.

3. More serious infection may be treated initially with an intravenous antifungal medication such as amphotericin B. (Abelcet, Amphotec, others).

4.Consider wearing a mask, staying inside during dust storms, wetting the soil before digging, and keeping doors and windows tightly closed.

Once an infected person can be considered cured with antifungals but some times it can be reactivated.

The scientific name for Valley fever is coccidioidomycoses.