valley fever

Note: The symptoms of Valley fever are similar to other respiratory diseases, including COVID-19 and flu. Laboratory tests are needed to know whether symptoms are caused by Valley fever (which is caused by a fungus) or COVID-19 or flu (caused by viruses). Talk to a healthcare provider about testing to learn if symptoms could be Valley fever or another illness.

Symptoms of Valley Fever

Not everyone who gets Valley fever will have symptoms because their bodies will fight off the infection naturally.

Most people who do get sick with Valley fever have respiratory symptoms or pneumonia because the Valley fever fungus usually infects the lungs. Common symptoms that may develop 1 to 3 weeks after breathing in the fungus include: fatigue (exhaustion), cough, difficulty breathing, night sweats, muscle or joint pain, fever, chest pain, weight loss, and rash or bumps on the skin (especially on the front of the legs).

Valley fever symptoms usually last a few weeks to a few months.

Most common symptoms of Valley fever: fatigue, cough, difficulty breathing, and fever.

Valley fever can affect people in different ways. Some people with Valley fever may only have mild symptoms that get better on their own in a few weeks. In others, symptoms like fatigue or exhaustion can take longer to go away and can last for several months. Symptoms can also become severe and last much longer if the Valley fever infection spreads to other parts of the body (called disseminated disease).

Disseminated Valley Fever

In rare cases, Valley fever can cause severe infections in the lungs or in other parts of the body including the skin, bones, joints, or brain.

People with severe Valley fever may need to be hospitalized, and they will likely need follow-up medical care for several months or even years. If Valley fever infects the brain (called meningitis), a person will probably need lifelong treatment. In very rare cases, severe Valley fever can be fatal.

Severe symptoms can include:

Skin lesions (rash, wounds, ulcers)
Bone or joint pain
Severe headaches

If you have Valley fever symptoms like cough, fever, and fatigue that last more than 7-10 days and you have recently been in areas where Valley fever is common (especially around dirt and outdoor dust), talk to a healthcare provider.