Valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides. The fungus is known to live in the soil in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico and Central and South America. The fungus was also recently found in south-central Washington.

Where is coccidioidomycosis found in the body?

Valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis, is an infection in the lungs caused by a Coccidioides fungus that is usually found in the southwest United States, Central and South America, and Washington state.

Where are you most likely to catch Valley fever?

Anyone who lives in or travels to the southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, or Utah), or parts of Mexico or Central or South America can get Valley fever. Valley fever can affect people of any age, but it's most common in adults aged 60 and older.

What region in the United States can coccidioidomycosis be found?

Coccidioidomycosis is known to be endemic to the southwestern United States, south-central Washington, northern Mexico, and parts of Central and South America (1).

How do you get Coccidioides?

Coccidioidomycosis is acquired by inhaling spores. Spores are present in soil and can become airborne in dust that can travel downwind. Thus, certain occupations (eg, farming, construction) and outdoor recreational activities increase risk.

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) | Pediatric Grand Grounds - Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA

How do you get rid of fungus in your lungs?

Antifungal drugs: These medications are generally used to treat invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Voriconazole is currently the drug of choice because it causes fewer side effects and appears to be more effective than other medications. Amphotericin B or itraconazole are also effective in treating infection.

Where does coccidioides fungus come from?

Valley fever is caused by a person inhaling spores of certain fungi. The fungi that cause valley fever — Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii — live in the soil in parts of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, California, Texas and Washington. It's named after the San Joaquin Valley in California.

Is Coccidioides a yeast or mold?

Coccidioides is a dimorphic fungus, meaning that it assumes 2 different forms, yeast or mold, depending on the environment. In soil, Coccidioides grows as a mold (mycelium) with branching septate hyphae. During the rainy season, the mycelia grow rapidly, but they are also the least infectious form of the organism.

Is Aspergillus contagious to humans?

But people who have a weakened immune system from illness or immunosuppressant medications have fewer infection-fighting cells. This allows aspergillus to take hold, invading the lungs and, in the most serious cases, other parts of the body. Aspergillosis is not contagious from person to person.

Is coccidioidomycosis a mold?

Valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides. The fungus is known to live in the soil in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico and Central and South America.

Where does valley fever exist?

Valley fever is a serious, costly illness. The fungus that causes Valley fever is found in soil in the southwestern United States, parts of Mexico and Central America, and parts of South America. It has also been found in south-central Washington state.

Is there valley fever in Hawaii?

Valley fever is widespread in the Southwest, yet Hawaii's prison officials haven't paid much attention to it, despite the recent deaths of at least two Hawaii prisoners who had the disease.

Where did valley fever originate?

Valley Fever evolved in the Sonoran Desert

posadasii, the oldest species, which originated in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico; and C. immitis, which is the species found in California's Central Valley, as well as parts of southern California and Baja Mexico.

What is the other name of coccidioidomycosis?

The scientific name for Valley fever is “coccidioidomycosis,” and it's also sometimes called “San Joaquin Valley fever” or “desert rheumatism.” The term “Valley fever” usually refers to Coccidioides infection in the lungs, but the infection can spread to other parts of the body in severe cases (this is called “ ...

Why is coccidioidomycosis called desert rheumatism?

The classic triad of coccidioidomycosis known as "desert rheumatism" includes the combination of fever, joint pains, and erythema nodosum. A minority (3–5%) of infected individuals do not recover from the initial acute infection and develop a chronic infection.

What does coccidioidomycosis 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 Aspergillus black mold?

The fungus Aspergillus niger is a type of mould, which can sometimes be attributed to the cause of some cases of pneumonia. It is also the causative agent of 'black mould' on the outsides of certain foods, such as apricots, onions, grapes, etc - therefore making Aspergillus niger a food 'spoilage' organism.

What foods is Aspergillus found in?

Aspergillus fungus normally grows on damp plant matter including crops such as peanuts, soybeans, rice and maize. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus produce chemicals known as aflatoxins. At low levels the liver can detoxify them – acceptable levels are set by agencies such as the FSA (UK) or the FDA (USA).

How long can you live with Aspergillus?

Prognosis of Aspergillus Infection

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one study found that the one-year survival for people who had invasive aspergillosis was 59 percent among solid organ transplant recipients.

Why is coccidioidomycosis called Valley fever?

Valley Fever derives its name from its discovery in the San Joaquin Valley of California, where it was also referred to as "San Joaquin Valley Fever" or "Desert Rheumatism." The medical name for Valley Fever is coccidioidomycosis (often shortened to "cocci").

Is Rift Valley Fever a zoonotic disease?

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis that primarily affects animals but also has the capacity to infect humans. Infection can cause severe disease in both animals and humans. The disease also results in significant economic losses due to death and abortion among RVF-infected livestock.

What causes Zygomycosis?

Zygomycosis is any infection caused by fungi in the class Zygomycetes commonly found in soil or decomposing vegetation and animal matter. There are two major orders of Zygomycetes that cause infection in humans — Mucorales and Entomophthorales.

Where is blastomycosis endemic?

Blastomycosis. Blastomycosis is considered endemic to the south-central, southeastern, and midwestern US states, particularly those bordering the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and in parts of the United States and Canada surrounding the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River (2,5).

Can coccidioidomycosis be spread from person to person?

Coccidioidomycosis is not contagious, meaning it cannot be passed from person to person. Most people who get coccidioidomycosis have minimal symptoms and do not require treatment. Symptoms appear between one to three weeks after exposure and last a few weeks to a few months.

Where does Coccidioides immitis grow?

Coccidioides immitis is a dimorphic fungus that is endemic to the desert areas of the Southwest, specifically California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Coccidioides immitis grows as a mycelia that releases airborne arthroconidia, which when inhaled and in the alveoli transform into spherules containing endospores.