Coccidioidomycosis- The Symptoms and Treatment of This Valley Fever

Coccidioidomycosis, popularly known as valley fever is a type of fungal infection that is caused by a fungus known as coccidioides. This fungus enters a human body through the respiratory tract and settles in the lungs. At first, it will have simple effects like a slight cough or a cold and often gets better without any treatment.

symptoms and treatment Coccidioidomycosis

 

It is when your immune system is weak, then it gets really dangerous. People who are mostly affected by this disease are the ones suffering from diabetes, AIDs, pregnant women, and people who are under medication that weakens their immune system.

Generally found in the soil of specific regions, the pores of coccidioides spread into the air after being disrupted by activities like farming, erosion or strong winds. This is how they enter our respiratory tract and leads to infection. If the infection persists for a long time, then chances are that it might be becoming a chronic illness. Thus you should keep a lookout for the symptoms minutely and then consult the doctor.

The Symptoms of Coccidioidomycosis

  • Persistent coughs with mucous formation.
  • Periodic appearance of fever. It might not be too high, but nonetheless, if it happens very often, it is a definite problem.
  • You might have chest pains varying from mild feeling of tightness, to intense feeling of getting a heart attack.
  • You are likely to have chills and night sweats.
  • Headache and fatigue will always accompany this illness.
  • You might have persistent pain in your joints.
  • Keep a look out for rashes on your body. They would appear in the form of painful red bumps and blisters and are generally found in areas like your chest, shoulder, back, lower side of your arms and legs.
  • Severe symptoms would include weight loss and blood loss with mucous solution.

The Treatment

There is no definite treatment for valley fever, and it generally sublimes without a need to show a doctor. Usually lots of bed rests and intake of fluid does the magic. However, when it becomes a chronic illness and it is not subduing on its own, you need to visit the doctor.

The doctor prescribes antifungal medicines like the fluconazole or itraconazole that treat the symptoms and deactivate the effect of coccidioides. You cannot take any medicine to prevent this fever and the only thing you can do is stay away from places where this fever is found commonly.

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