Acute Communicable Disease Control

WHAT IS VALLEY FEVER

Valley fever (also called coccidioidomycosis) is a disease caused by the Coccidioides fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California and the southwestern United States. This fungus can infect the lungs and cause respiratory symptoms, including cough, difficulty breathing, fever, and tiredness or fatigue. The fungal spores can get into the air when anything disturbs the soil, such as farming, construction, and wind. You can get Valley fever by breathing in dust from outdoor air that contains spores of the Coccidioides fungus.

Anyone who lives, works, or travels in an area where the Valley fever fungus grows can breathe in these fungus spores from outdoor dust and become infected. Valley fever cannot spread from one person to another. Many people who are infected do not have symptoms or have a mild respiratory illness. But some people develop a severe illness such as pneumonia, meningitis, or dissemination when the fungus spreads to many parts of the body. Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, Filipinos, males, pregnant women, the very young (<5 years), elderly, and people who are immunocompromised are at high risk for severe disease. Because of the wide range of clinical presentations, only the most severe cases are usually reported to the health department. Valley fever is usually diagnosed with a blood test.