Coccidioidomycosis

Coccidioidomycosis is also known as California Valley Fever, due to its geographic distribution. It is an endemic disease in the southern areas of the United Stated of America (more specifically in southern Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah) and north of Mexico.

It is a fungal disease caused by Coccidioides Immitis or Coccidioides Posadasii, which can be very dangerous if left without adequate treatment, and in some cases results in the patient’s decease.

Causes Of Coccidioidomycosis

Coccidioidomycosis main causing agent (Coccidioides Immitis) is a fungus that is present in the soil in certain places of the southwestern United States, northern Mexico, and some other areas in the Western Hemisphere. Infection can be caused by accidental inhalation of airborne, fungal particles (known as arthroconidia), which are basically a highly infectious type of spore.

The disease is not contagious; therefore it is not passed from one person to another one. The only way to get coccidioidomycosis is by inhaling the spores themselves.

Some patients suffering from coccidioidomycosis do not respond well to treatment, often developing chronic pulmonary infection. The lungs are the most commonly affected. In severe cases, coccidioidomycosis can also involve the kidneys, lymph system, brain, and spleen.

Symptoms Of Coccidioidomycosis

Only about 40% of the patients suffering from coccidioidomycosis develop symptoms, which usually resemble those of influenza (muscle pain, cough, headaches, fever and general feeling of illness) and in some cases weight loss.

Also, if left untreated, uncured coccidioidomycosis may spread and affect soft tissues, joints, bones and, most often, meninges (causing Meningitis). On HIV-infected people, coccidioidomycosis has a very high probability of causing severe pulmonary disease and (as a consequence of this), death.

Treatment Of Coccidioidomycosis

Coccidioidomycosis can be treated by administering fungicide drugs such as fluconazole and amphotericin on a regular basis. The patient must continue consuming these (and other possible prescribed medications) for a reasonable period of time after symptoms subside, to suppress all possibility of existence of any infectious spore that may still be inside the patient’s body.

Prevention Of Coccidioidomycosis

The only prevention against coccidioidomycosis is to be careful when traveling inside one of the endemic zones, avoiding doing so during the most dangerous season, in which the fungus (Coccidioides Immitis or Coccidioides Posadasii) is airborne and can be easily inhaled, thus producing infection.

It is also a good idea to keep basic fungicide shots at hand when visiting these areas.

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