Q. What's the best treatment for valley fever?
A. Valley fever is an infection - usually of the lungs - caused by a fungus, Coccidioides immitis, found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It was discovered in the San Joaquin Valley of California and is also sometimes called "San Joaquin Valley fever," "desert fever" or "desert rheumatism." Valley fever is very common in Arizona. We see a lot of infections in June and July and then again in October and November. In California, the "season" for valley fever runs from June through November. The fungus lives in the soil, and those most susceptible to infection are farm and construction workers as well as archeologists and others whose jobs involve disturbing the soil and who may inhale the spores. (published Jan. 7, 2002)
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