Valley Fever - Arizona Trail

imported
#1

I just saw a thing on “Monsters Inside Me” -Animal Channel- where a lady inhaled some dust in Arizona and came down with this hideous disease. Is this something you all know about? Am I preaching to the choir? Apple

angel apple

#2

Growing up in Arizona, I was told that if you live long enough in the area, you will come down with it. Most people never know, because it just manifests as tiredness. Usually it passes, but may leave scars in the lungs. One friend of my mother’s lost half a lung to VF.

Ginny

#3

I got it as a 13 year old living in the valley. Scottsdale, to be precise. It kicked my butt for about 4 days, flu-like symptoms if memory serves. I have heard that you only get it once. The factuality of that statement I don’t know, but it is pretty brutal and I wanted to die for about 4 days. It was no fun.

Stephen

#4

Valley fever is a fungal disease. It is often fatal. It also kills dogs, more commonly than humans, because they dig when it is hot. Arizona’s dirty little secret.

bearcreek

#5

Significant disease develops in less than 5% of those infected and typically occurs in those with a weakened immune system.[9] Mild asymptomatic cases often do not require any treatment. Those with severe symptoms may warrant anti-fungal therapy.[10] There is a lack of prospective studies that examine optimal anti-fungal therapy for coccidioidomycosis.

On the whole, oral fluconazole and intravenous amphotericin B are used in progressive or disseminated disease, or in immunocompromised individuals.[9] Alternatively, itraconazole or ketoconazole may be used for milder disease.[11] Fluconazole is the preferred medication for coccidioidal meningitis, due to its penetration into CSF.[3] Intrathecal or intraventricular amphotericin B therapy is used if infection persists after fluconazole treatment.[9] Itraconazole is used for cases that involve treatment of infected person’s bones and joints. The antifungal medications posaconazole and voriconazole have also been used to treat coccidioidomycosis.

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