People can get Valley fever
by breathing in the microscopic fungal spores from the air
, although most people who breathe in the spores don't get sick. Usually, people who get sick with Valley fever will get better on their own within weeks to months, but some people will need antifungal medication.
Is Valley fever contagious from person to person?
Is Valley fever contagious?
No
. The fungus that causes Valley fever, Coccidioides, can't spread from the lungs between people or between people and animals.
Where is Valley fever most common?
Valley Fever (also known as Desert Rheumatism or San Joaquin Valley Fever) is Arizona's disease. While rare at a national level, Valley Fever is common in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. Every year, 150,000 people in the U.S. are infected, and
Arizona
is home to two-thirds of them.
Is it easy to get Valley fever?
Anyone
can get Valley fever if they live in or travel to an area where the fungus lives in the environment. Valley fever can affect people of any age, but it's most common in adults aged 60 and older.
How did Valley fever start?
Valley Fever is caused by a
fungus
which is a member of the plant family. Molds and mushrooms are examples of other members of the fungus group of plants. The first case reported in the World occurred in 1892 in an Argentinian soldier.
Does Valley fever ever leave your body?
Most people don't get sick. And when
valley fever symptoms do appear, they usually go away on their own
. If not, there are medicines that can typically clear them up. But in rare cases, the fungus spreads to other parts of the body.
Does Valley fever ever go away?
How is Valley fever treated? For many people, the symptoms of Valley fever
will go away within a few months without any treatment
. Healthcare providers choose to prescribe antifungal medication for some people to try to reduce the severity of symptoms or prevent the infection from getting worse.
What happens if Valley fever goes untreated?
For many, the symptoms will disappear on their own. But for some, untreated Valley Fever can lead to
chronic fatigue
, severe weight loss, pneumonia, meningitis or even death.
How long does it take for Valley fever to go away?
The symptoms of Valley fever usually last for
a few weeks to a few months
. However, some patients have symptoms that last longer than this, especially if the infection becomes severe. Approximately 5 to 10% of people who get Valley fever will develop serious or long-term problems in their lungs.
Can Valley fever go away on its own?
In some people who get valley fever, the
infection will go away on its own in a few weeks
. However, antifungal treatment is recommended for certain patient groups, such as those at high risk for developing the severe forms of the disease.
What does Valley fever do to your 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 .
What are the long term effects of Valley fever?
It is rare but can be very serious and fatal if not treated. In severe cases, Valley fever can develop into
chronic pneumonia (lung infection)
or meningitis (spine or brain infection) or infect bones and joints.
What are the symptoms of histoplasmosis?
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
- Chills.
- Headache.
- Chest pain.
- Body aches.
What part of the body does valley fever affect?
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
. Signs and symptoms vary depending on which parts of the body are affected.
Can you donate blood if you have had Valley Fever?
No
. The tissue phase of the fungus coccidioides spp. is a spherule. The infectious phase is when the “spores” are inhaled from the air. Is it safe for Valley Fever patients to donate their blood or organs?
How does valley fever affect the immune system?
In rare cases, valley fever can spread to the skin, bones, lymph nodes, and organs. It can
lead to meningitis
, a very serious infection of the coverings around the brain and spinal cord. The disease is more likely to spread to other areas of the body in people who have weak immune systems.
