Is the Valley Fever real?
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Is the Valley Fever real?
Valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides. The fungus is known to live in the soil in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico and Central and South America. The fungus was also recently found in south-central Washington.
Does everyone have valley fever?
Who gets Valley fever? Anyone who lives in or travels to the southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, or Utah), or parts of Mexico or Central or South America can get Valley fever. Valley fever can affect people of any age, but it’s most common in adults aged 60 and older.
How many people currently have valley fever?
Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) Statistics
| Year | Arizona | California |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,917 | 840 |
| 2001 | 2,301 | 1,538 |
| 2002 | 3,133 | 1,727 |
| 2003 | 2,695 | 2,091 |
How many people died of valley fever in 2019?
Arizona Kids: Please Get Creative and Spread the Word About Valley Fever. 2020 Grand Prize Winner Valley Fever is rare in most of the country, but not in Arizona. Of the more than 18,400 cases reported nationwide in 2019, more than half, 10,358, were in our state.
Does Valley Fever scar the lungs?
The chronic form of the infection can cause lung abscesses and scarring in your lungs. There’s roughly a one percent chance that the fungal infection could spread to the rest of your body, causing disseminated valley fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Does Valley Fever ever leave your body?
For many people, the symptoms of Valley fever will go away within a few months without any treatment. Healthcare providers choose to prescribe antifungal medication for some people to try to reduce the severity of symptoms or prevent the infection from getting worse.
Does valley fever scar the lungs?
Where is valley fever most common?
While rare at a national level, Valley fever is common in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Every year, 150,000 people in the U.S. are infected, and Arizona is home to two-thirds of them.
Do Valley Fever lung nodules go away?
Most people struck with Valley Fever recover on their own. Some patients, like Pierce, develop lung nodules, which are small patches of infection in the lungs that can be mistaken for lung cancer. For Pierce, antifungal medications taken for a year helped him recover from the infection.
Does Valley Fever ever go away?
How long does it take to recover from Valley Fever?
Individuals who are otherwise healthy will normally recover completely within 6 months. In patients with severe symptoms, complete recovery may take up to a year. Fatigue and joint pains may persist for longer.
Does valley fever ever leave your body?
Can Valley Fever Kill You?
While a few will not feel sick, most will have symptoms including fever, rashes, headaches, severe abscesses and lesions in nearly any part of the body. Valley Fever can even kill its victims through pneumonia and meningitis in its worst cases.
Can Valley fever be cured?
Most people with acute valley fever don’t require treatment. Even when symptoms are severe, the best therapy for otherwise healthy adults is often bed rest and fluids — the same approach used for colds and the flu. Still, doctors carefully monitor people with valley fever.
What are the different Valley fever symptoms?
Acute valley fever. Valley Fever is most common in Arizona. Initial symptoms are mild.