Coccidioidomycosis
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Coccidioidomycosis Overview

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Learn About Coccidioidomycosis

What is the definition of Coccidioidomycosis?
Coccidiomycosis, also known as valley fever, is a fungal infection caused by the fungus, Coccidioides, that lives in the soil in the southwestern United States (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, California (San Joaquin Valley), Texas, and south-central Washington and parts of Mexico and Central and South America. Coccidiomycosis is contracted by breathing in the fungal spores from the air, usually from dust caused by farming, construction, and wind. Once inhaled, the spores continue to reproduce in the lungs. Rarely, the fungal spores may enter the body through a cut or wound, causing a skin infection.
What are the symptoms of Coccidioidomycosis?
While many individuals with coccidiomycosis do not experience any symptoms, others may have symptoms for weeks or months. Symptoms of acute coccidiomycosis usually appear between 1 and 3 weeks after breathing in the fungal spores and may include fatigue, fever, chills, night sweats, shortness of breath, cough, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, and rash on the upper body or legs. Around 5 to 10% of individuals with coccidiomycosis will develop long-term or serious lung complications (chronic pneumonia), while about 1% will develop an infection of the central nervous system, such as the brain or spinal cord, or the skin, bones, or joints (disseminated coccidiomycosis).
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What are the current treatments for Coccidioidomycosis?
Most mild cases of coccidiomycosis do not require treatment and will resolve within a few months with rest, adequate fluid intake, and supportive care. Individuals with severe coccidiomycosis may be treated with antifungal medications, such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanoz, Onmel, Tosura), amphotericin B (Albecet, Ambisome), voriconazole (Vfend), posaconazole (Noxafil), and isavuconazonium sulfate (Cresemba).
Who are the top Coccidioidomycosis Local Doctors?
John Galgiani
Elite in Coccidioidomycosis
Dr. John Galgiani
Infectious Disease
Elite in Coccidioidomycosis
Dr. John Galgiani
Infectious Disease

Banner - University Medicine North

3838 North Campbell Avenue, Building 2, 
Tucson, AZ 
520-694-8888
Languages Spoken:
English
See accepted insurances
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

Tennis, jazz music and UA basketball. Dr. Galgiani is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Coccidioidomycosis. His top areas of expertise are Coccidioidomycosis, Blastomycosis, Pneumonia, and Meningitis.

Fariba Donovan
Elite in Coccidioidomycosis
Dr. Fariba Donovan
Infectious Disease
Elite in Coccidioidomycosis
Dr. Fariba Donovan
Infectious Disease

Banner - University Medicine North

3838 North Campbell Avenue, Building 2, 
Tucson, AZ 
520-694-8888
Languages Spoken:
English, Farsi, Japanese
See accepted insurances
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

As both a practicing physician and a research scientist, I have cultivated a particular interest in medical mycology. Her research focuses on the identification of virulence factors and the interaction of several fungi with the human host. Her goal is to identify and characterize regulatory mechanisms at a post-transcriptional level that have a crucial role in the development of Valley Fever in humans. Dr. Donovan is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Coccidioidomycosis. Her top areas of expertise are Coccidioidomycosis, Leishmaniasis, Meningitis, Pneumonia, and Endoscopy.

 
 
 
 
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Steven Holland
Elite in Coccidioidomycosis
Dr. Steven Holland
Infectious Disease
Elite in Coccidioidomycosis
Dr. Steven Holland
Infectious Disease

Office

Bethesda, MD 
301-402-7684
Languages Spoken:
English
See accepted insurances

Steven Holland is an Infectious Disease provider in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Holland is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Coccidioidomycosis. His top areas of expertise are Coccidioidomycosis, Mycobacterium Avium Complex Infections, Meningitis, Common Variable Immune Deficiency, and Endoscopy.

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What are the latest Coccidioidomycosis Clinical Trials?
The Pathogenesis and Genetics of Disseminated or Refractory Coccidioidomycosis
The Pathogenesis and Genetics of Disseminated or Refractory Coccidioidomycosis
Enrollment Status: Recruiting
Publish Date: February 05, 2026

Background: \- Coccidioidomycosis is caused by a fungus that grows in the southwest United States and parts of Mexico and South America. This disease is caused by breathing dust containing the fungus. It can lead to serious lung and breathing problems. Rarely, the fungus can infect other body parts. This is called disseminated coccidioidomycosis (DCM). If the fungus stays in the lungs for more than 6 months, ...

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Risk Assessment of Community Spread of Multiple Endemic Infectious Diseases in a One Health Perspective
Risk Assessment of Community Spread of Multiple Endemic Infectious Diseases in a One Health Perspective
Enrollment Status: Recruiting
Publish Date: January 22, 2026

Summary: RACSMEI addresses the high burden of infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries, including Cambodia, where limited surveillance and laboratory capacity often obscure etiologies and transmission dynamics. This knowledge gap hinders the design of effective prevention and control strategies. RACSMEI will improve understanding across multiple pathogens using a multidisciplinary One Health...

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