Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Endemic Mycoses
Number of Conditions: 1
Coccidioidomycosis and Valley Fever
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Fungal Infections
Sub-category: Endemic Mycoses
Symptoms:
fever; cough; chest pain; fatigue; headache; rash; joint pain
Root Cause:
Infection caused by Coccidioides species (C. immitis or C. posadasii) through inhalation of fungal spores, leading to localized or disseminated disease.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Serologic testing (IgM and IgG antibodies), fungal cultures, histopathology, or PCR-based diagnostics.
Treatment:
Mild cases may resolve without treatment; moderate to severe cases require antifungal therapy, such as azoles or amphotericin B.
Medications:
Fluconazole or itraconazole for most cases. Amphotericin B is used for severe or disseminated disease. These drugs are systemic antifungal agents targeting fungal growth or membrane integrity.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Endemic in the southwestern U.S., northern Mexico, and parts of Central and South America; incidence rates vary but are increasing with climate change.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Residing or working in endemic areas, soil disturbance, immunosuppression, and pregnancy (third trimester).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases are self-limited; severe or disseminated cases have variable outcomes, with mortality up to 30% in untreated disseminated infections.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Dissemination to skin, bones, or meninges; chronic pulmonary disease; and meningitis.