In article <392ddo$69p at dingo.cc.uq.oz.au> forrest at biosci.uq.oz.au (acer) writes:
>From: forrest at biosci.uq.oz.au (acer)
>Subject: Valley Fever?? has anyone heard of this??
>Date: 31 Oct 1994 09:29:28 GMT
>G'day from queensland australia,
> A friend I was talking to on the net told me she had suffered (and
>still does suffer) from Valley Fever. It's meant to be found in Arizona and
>parts of the Middle east.
> What I'd like to know is whether this is viral, what the treatment
>entails and the long term prognosis after treatment.
> It may well be a bacteria as she was talking about spores carried
>in the air. It also has an association with the desert.
>thanks for any replies,
> Alistair
No. It is not viral. It is a disease caused by the fungus Coccidioides
Immitis. Causes transient respiratory illnesses and, occasionally, more
invasive disease such as osteomyelitis, meningitis and so forth. It is
endemic, in the US, to the desert SW such as the central valley of California
and Arizona.
You don't treat the transient illness. Invasive disease may be treated with
Amphotericin B or fluconazole (for a long time).
