Medical Xpress September 30, 2024
Some areas of the U.S. are experiencing a recent uptick in cases of a fungal lung infection called valley fever. Dr. Jesse Bracamonte, a Mayo Clinic family medicine physician, explains what you need to know about valley fever, how it’s spread and how to avoid becoming infected.
“Valley fever is a fungus. It lives in the soil, and it’s endemic, or known to be in regions in the Southwest, such as Arizona, lower California, New Mexico and parts of Mexico,” explains Dr. Bracamonte.
Valley fever is transmitted via inhalation of spores from the soil, especially during dusty months or high-dust exposure, such as in construction zones.
“Initial symptoms of valley fever can be cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, sometimes...
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