Symptoms of Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis)

Cough and fever are common symptoms of Valley fever.

Cough and fever are common symptoms of Valley fever.

Many people who are exposed to the fungus Coccidioides never have symptoms.1 Other people may have symptoms that go away on their own after weeks to months. If your symptoms last for more than a week, contact your healthcare provider.

Symptoms of Valley fever include:

  • Fatigue (tiredness)
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Shortness of breath
  • Headache
  • Night sweats
  • Muscle aches or joint pain
  • Rash on upper body or legs

In extremely rare cases, the fungal spores can enter the skin through a cut, wound, or splinter and cause a skin infection.2

How soon do the symptoms appear?
Symptoms of Valley fever may appear between 1 and 3 weeks after a person breathes in the fungal spores.

Rash (erythema nodosum) due to Valley fever.

Rash (erythema nodosum) due to Valley fever.

How long do the symptoms last?
The symptoms of Valley fever usually last for a few weeks to a few months.3, 4 However, some patients have symptoms that last longer than this, especially if the infection becomes severe.

Severe Valley fever
Approximately 5 to 10% of people who get Valley fever will develop serious or long-term problems in their lungs.4 In an even smaller percent of people (about 1%), the infection spreads from the lungs to other parts of the body, such as the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), skin, or bones and joints.46

References
  1. Smith CE, Whiting EG, Baker EE, Rosenberger HG, Beard RR, Saito MT. The use of coccidioidinexternal icon. Am Rev Tuberc. 1948;57:330-60.
  2. Chang A, Tung RC, McGillis TS, Bergfeld WF, Taylor JS. Primary cutaneous coccidioidomycosisexternal icon. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2003 Nov;49(5):944-9.
  3. Tsang CA, Anderson SM, Imholte SB, Elhart LM, Chen S, Park BJ, et al. Enhanced surveillance of coccidioidomycosis, Arizona, USA, 2007-2008external icon. Emerg Infect Dis 2010;16:1738-44.
  4. Thompson GR, 3rd. Pulmonary coccidioidomycosisexternal icon. Semin Resp Crit Care Med 2011;32:754-63.
  5. Crum NF, Lederman ER, Stafford CM, Parrish JS, Wallace MR. Coccidioidomycosis: a descriptive survey of a reemerging disease. Clinical characteristics and current controversiesexternal icon. Medicine 2004;83:149-75.
  6. Galgiani JN, Ampel NM, Blair JE, Catanzaro A, Johnson RH, Stevens DA, et al. Coccidioidomycosisexternal icon. Clin Infect Dis 2005;41:1217-23.