Valley Fever/Coccidioidomycosis

[leverhead]

Hi Texas7. I'm sorry to hear about your relative. Did he have any pre-existing conditions? I'm not trying to be nosy...just that I've read that some extreme cases can be found in people with compromised immune systems or age. I have a neighbor (81 yrs now) who lived in Phoenix in his younger days and contracted it (had the symptoms and then they disappeared) but leaving permanent lung scarring that shows up in x-rays. He was and still is a strong healthy man who still hikes the mountains on a regular basis.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by leverhead

Hi Texas7. I'm sorry to hear about your relative. Did he have any pre-existing conditions? I'm not trying to be nosy...just that I've read that some extreme cases can be found in people with compromised immune systems or age. I have a neighbor (81 yrs now) who lived in Phoenix in his younger days and contracted it (had the symptoms and then they disappeared) but leaving permanent lung scarring that shows up in x-rays. He was and still is a strong healthy man who still hikes the mountains on a regular basis.

I think the real problem in Uncle's case was that the physicians that were treating him when he got home didn't know that he had valley fever; accordingly, treatment was very delayed.

(This is why we had our dog tested before we left AZ for Raleigh, even though he showed no symptoms.)

[jlawrence01]

From the website:

The Valley Fever Center for Excellence, located at the University of Arizona in Tucson, was established to address the problems caused by the fungus, Coccidioides, the cause of coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever). Two-thirds of all infections in the United States occur in Arizona, mostly in the urban areas surrounding Phoenix and Tucson. The Center’s mission is to mobilize resources for the eradication of Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) through: 1) the development of public awareness and education about Valley Fever, 2) the promotion of high quality care for patients with Valley Fever, and 3) the pursuit and encouragement of research into all aspects of Coccidioides sp. and the diseases that it causes.

Valley Fever Center

Dr. John Galgiani spoke in Green Valley two weeks ago to talk about Valley Fever. The highest incidence rates are in Southern Arizona, the Rio Grande Valley, and the Central Valley in California.

His take was that many Arizonans get Valley Fever sometime in their lifetime. 60% have very mild symptoms and do not even seek treatment. About 30% are treated and have no significant after effects. The remainder have more severe symptoms. Once you have been infected, you are immune for a lifetime.

Those were my notes. I would recommend that you look at the website as that contains much more information.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by leverhead

Hi Texas7. I'm sorry to hear about your relative. Did he have any pre-existing conditions? I'm not trying to be nosy...just that I've read that some extreme cases can be found in people with compromised immune systems or age. I have a neighbor (81 yrs now) who lived in Phoenix in his younger days and contracted it (had the symptoms and then they disappeared) but leaving permanent lung scarring that shows up in x-rays. He was and still is a strong healthy man who still hikes the mountains on a regular basis.

As far as I know, he didn't have any predicting conditions. It was difficult to diagnose when he returned to his home state because valley fever isn't there. The CDC had to get involved.

[kell490]

One of our dogs had it he was old he also has seizures too. Last time I had a cough went to doctors asked about VF he said most everyone already have had it just thought it was cold and went away. My coughing turned out to be from sleep apnea that I had no idea I had. Once I got a CPAP the cough went away.

[hikernut]

We had a dog that contracted Valley Fever when she was ten years old. She was on antifungals for the rest of her life, about two years (cancer, not the VF, took her).

I asked our vet how common it is in dogs. She guessed that roughly 10% of the dogs they see have had it at one time or another.

VF can kill dogs if not treated. If your dog is coughing, take it to the vet.