| Coccidioidomycosis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Cocci, California fever, desert rheumatism, San Joaquin Valley fever[1][2] |
 | |
| A skin lesion due to Coccidioides infection | |
| Pronunciation | |
| Specialty | Infectious disease[3] |
| Symptoms | Cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, rash, muscle pain[4] |
| Complications | Long term long problems, meningitis[5][4] |
| Usual onset | 1 to 3 wks after exposure[4] |
| Duration | Weeks to months[6] |
| Types | Acute, chronic[7] |
| Causes | Coccidioides[6] |
| Risk factors | Diabetes, pregnancy, other causes of poor immune function[8] |
| Diagnostic method | Confirmed by specific blood antibodies or urine antigens[5] |
| Prevention | Avoiding dusty places, N95 facemask[8] |
| Treatment | Nothing, antifungal medication[7] |
| Medication | Fluconazole, amphotericin B, itraconazole[7] |
| Frequency | ~20,000 (2019 USA)[9] |
| Deaths | 200/yr (USA)[9] |
Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley fever, is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides.[6] Symptoms typically include cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, rash, and muscle pain.[4] Onset is typically 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.[4] Complications may include long term long problems or meningitis.[5][4]
Specifically it is due to Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii.[5][10] Generally infections occurs due to breathing in airborne spores after soil in which they occur is disturbed.[11] It does not typically spread between people.[8] Rarely it may spread as a result of contact with a contaminated object or organ transplantation.[11] Risk factors include diabetes, pregnancy, and other causes of poor immune function.[8] Diagnosis may be confirmed based on blood tests for specific antibodies or urine antigen tests.[5]
Most people get better without any specific treatment within weeks to months.[6] Those who are at high risk or have severe disease are generally treated with antifungal medication, with 3 to 6 months of fluconazole typically used.[5][6] Generally it occurs at most once.[8] Prevention is by avoiding dusty places or wearing an N95 facemask.[8] There is no currently available vaccine.[8]
About 20,000 cases occurred in the Southwestern United States in 2019, with the disease also being relatively common in parts of Mexico, Central, and South America.[6][9] In the United States it most commonly occurs in Arizona and California; though their are also cases in Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Utah.[9][11] It most commonly affects those over the age of 60.[8] It is a relatively common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in these areas.[1] In 1977, a windstorm in Arvin, California led to several hundred cases in an areas hundreds of miles away, which typically does not see the disease.[12] Other animals may also be affected.[8]
References edit
- ^ a b Malo J, Luraschi-Monjagatta C, Wolk DM, Thompson R, Hage CA, Knox KS (February 2014). "Update on the diagnosis of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis". Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 11 (2): 243–53. doi:10.1513/AnnalsATS.201308-286FR. PMID 24575994.
- ^ Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. ISBN 978-1-4160-2999-1.
- ^ "ICD-11 - ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics". icd.who.int. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Symptoms of Valley Fever | Coccidioidomycosis | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 13 January 2021. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Information for Healthcare Professionals | Coccidioidomycosis | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 3 February 2021. Archived from the original on 29 May 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ a b c Proia, Laurie (2020). "28. The dimorphic mycoses". In Spec, Andrej; Escota, Gerome V.; Chrisler, Courtney; Davies, Bethany (eds.). Comprehensive Review of Infectious Diseases. Elsevier. pp. 418–419. ISBN 978-0-323-56866-1. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Valley Fever Risk & Prevention | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 11 July 2022. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Valley Fever Statistics | Coccidioidomycosis | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 18 July 2022. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Nguyen C, Barker BM, Hoover S, Nix DE, Ampel NM, Frelinger JA, Orbach MJ, Galgiani JN (July 2013). "Recent advances in our understanding of the environmental, epidemiological, immunological, and clinical dimensions of coccidioidomycosis". Clin Microbiol Rev. 26 (3): 505–25. doi:10.1128/CMR.00005-13. PMC 3719491. PMID 23824371.
- ^ a b c "Where Valley Fever Comes From | Coccidioidomycosis | Types of Fungal Diseases | Fungal | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 10 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Pappagianis, Demosthenes; Einstein, Hans (1978-12-01). "Tempest From Tehachapi Takes Toll or Coccidioides Conveyed Aloft and Afar". Western Journal of Medicine. 129 (6): 527–530. ISSN 0093-0415. PMC 1238466. PMID 735056.