Symptoms of coccidioidomycosis depend on the form of the infection. Valley fever is the first, also called acute, stage of coccidioidomycosis infection. This acute illness can become more serious. More serious illness includes long-term, called chronic, coccidioidomycosis and coccidioidomycosis that spreads, called disseminated coccidioidomycosis.
Acute coccidioidomycosis, also called valley fever
The first, also called acute, form of coccidioidomycosis often has few or no symptoms. Symptoms may start 1 to 3 weeks after contact with the fungus.
Symptoms tend to be like flu symptoms. Symptoms can range from minor to serious, including:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest pain when breathing in.
- Night sweats.
- Headache.
- Joint pain, mainly in the ankles, knees and wrists.
- Rash.
For people who get symptoms, especially serious ones, the course of the illness varies from person to person. It can take months to fully recover. Tiredness and joint aches can last even longer.
Chest X-ray is often not typical and looks like pneumonia.
Ongoing, called chronic, coccidioidomycosis
If the first coccidioidomycosis infection doesn't clear up all the way, it may move to an ongoing form of pneumonia. This complication is most common in people with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms include:
- Low-grade fever.
- Weight loss.
- Cough. Coughing may cause blood-tinged mucus.
- Chest pain.
- Areas of infection, called nodules, cavities or scarring in the lungs.
Coccidioidomycosis that spreads, called disseminated
This most serious form of the condition isn't common. It happens when the infection spreads, called disseminates, from the lungs to other parts of the body. It mainly spreads to the skin, bones, liver, brain, heart, and the membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges.
Symptoms of disseminated disease depend on the body parts affected. They may include:
- Nodules and skin sores that are more serious than the rash that sometimes happens with the first form of the infection.
- Painful sores in the spine, legs and knees or other bones.
- Painful, swollen joints, mainly in the knees or ankles.
- An infection of the membranes and fluid around the brain and spinal cord, called meningitis.