Valley Fever: Learn more about it

September 25, 2009

By hammersmith

[Source: The Sahuarita Sun] – The end of the monsoon season each year ushers in a period of higher susceptibility to Valley Fever, and efforts are under way to educate people about the warning signs.

More than 760 cases of Valley Fever were recorded in Pima County in 2008, and nearly 3,000 in the state. But doctors believe the infection is under-reported because it’s easy to misdiagnose or dismiss as a cold or flu.

In Arizona, most infections occur in early summer or in the fall, from October through November, just after the end of monsoon season.

Valley Fever is an infection caused by a fungus in the soil in the Southwestern United States. Some cases are barely noticeable and even undetectable while others could become chronic or lead to critical or deadly complications.

For more information: Valley Fever: Learn more about it