Valley Fever 101 Continued

Let's continue on today with information about diagnosis and treatment of Valley Fever.

The symptoms of Valley Fever include cough, chest pain, rashes, fever, fatigue,  night sweats, headache, and weight loss.  About 35% of those who catch it develop pneumonia. (remember from the last post that 60% of those who catch it do not have any symptoms)  Only about 5% of people present with a rash.  Even though it is called Valley "Fever" many people do not have a fever.  If you have a prolonged cough and fatigue you might want to consult your doctor.

How is Valley Fever diagnosed?  Most commonly it is diagnosed by serology.  This means your blood is drawn and the lab looks to see if your body is developing antibodies to Cocci.  If it is checked too early in the illness you might be falsely negative since your body hasn't had a chance to make antibodies yet.  Chest Xray and sputum cultures can also be helpful in making the diagnosis.

How is Valley Fever treated?  Most people do not need any treatment at all.  The illness goes away by itself.  Once you have had Valley Fever you cannot get it again.  If someone is having prolonged symptoms then the medication fluconazole is commonly used.  Often it is used for many months when someone needs treatment.

Well, that concludes Valley Fever 101.  I learned some new things.  I hope you did too.