Symptoms of Valley Fever

Key points

  • Many people who are exposed to Coccidioides do not get Valley fever.
  • Valley fever is a fungal lung infection and causes symptoms of pneumonia.
  • Symptoms usually last for a few weeks to a few months.
  • Rarely, Valley fever can cause severe lung infections or infections throughout the body.
An illustration of a man coughing.

Symptoms

If your symptoms last for more than a week, contact your healthcare provider.

Symptoms include:

  • Fatigue (tiredness)
  • Cough
  • Fever and headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Night sweats
  • Muscle aches or joint pain
  • Rash on upper body or legs

In extremely rare cases, the fungal spores can enter the skin through a cut, wound, or splinter and cause an infection.

Rash (erythema nodosum) due to Valley fever.
Rash (erythema nodosum) due to Valley fever.

Symptoms timing

Symptoms of Valley fever may appear between 1 and 3 weeks after a person breathes in the fungal spores.

Symptoms usually last for a few weeks to a few months. However, some patients have symptoms that last longer than this, especially if the infection becomes severe.

Severe Valley fever

Approximately 5 to 10% of people who get Valley fever will develop serious or long-term problems in their lungs. In an even smaller percent of people (about 1%), the infection spreads from the lungs to other parts of the body. This could include the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), skin, or bones and joints.

Print
Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)