Whoever has visited or lived in California is susceptible to the rigors of Coccidioidomycosis commonly known as Valley Fever. From the President of the United States of America, governor of California, senators, politicians of all political adherence or affiliations to the farmers and Mexican farm hands, engineers, golf players, everyone who has ever enjoyed our sunshine or has been exposed to the California's Central Valley from Bakersfield, Coalinga to Modesto, CA and even parts of Arizona, can catch Valley Fever. Since they all breathe, they can catch Valley Fever! Once airborne through strong winds, building and plowing, anyone can inhale the spores that end up developing into a breakout of Valley Fever. It exists mostly in the arid areas of the Western United States of America. California and Arizona are fertile grounds.
Instead of hiding the news about this soil or environment-based infectious disease, it is better to educate and inform the public about its impact. For some reasons, besides those who are constantly tilling the grounds, groups such as islanders, African-Americans and others with weak immune system can catch the infectious disease too. What is so serious about it is that it is a silent killer which can strike you in a state where infectious disease doctors have seen very few cases and thus are not too familiar with it.
This new Central California's Valley Fever Support Group blog [ValleyFeverSurvivor] is the work of a Valley Fever survivor. One who came from an island and was in Coalinga, CA to study when the disease struck him and almost killed him. Two years before, this survivor arrived in Coalinga, an other islander, a Japanese student, succumbed to the blows of Coccidioidomycosis. While he did not perish, he suffered long enough to know a few things about how to advise, comfort and support those who are battling this disease.
This support group aims at educating foreigners as well as residents of California, informing the public in general and raising awareness about the lethalness of Valley Fever if it is not properly diagnosed through a culture and treated by an infectious disease doctor who applies the right battery of such as Flucanozole, Diflucan, and amphotericin B known as "shake and bake."
Thanks to God and Dr. Herbert Boro, Joseph survived Valley Fever. He is ready to help you survive it too. He is ready to prevent you from getting as sick as he was. He wants to support and comfort those who have lost loved ones to the disease. Not one more soul needs to be lost to Valley Fever. Those who are on their way to other states may have been exposed to the disease and ended up going to be sick at home. That can be miles away. What are the symptoms of Valley Fever? How to recognize them? How long does it take to get rid of it? Is it true that most people end up developing an abscess? Sign up for free to receive postings from this blog or come back for more info.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
ValleyFeverPublisher: Healthy or Not, Valley Fever Can Attack
Doctors Trained to Prescribe Drugs, but not Exercise
Various studies show that most western doctors are not trained or do not the incentives to prescribe exercise to their patients. Yet, they should regularly prescribe it as a way to lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease and diabetes, according to the American Heart Association on Monday June 23, 2003.
Exercise often works well as drugs, yet doctors fail to advise patients to get off their sofas and walk, cycle or run, the group said, citing data from 44 different studies. The American Heart Association and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other groups, recommend 30 minutes or more of the moderate exercise such as brisk walking on most or all days of the week.
One problem is that doctors are not trained in preventing disease, but only in treating it, said the director of preventive cardiology and cardiovascular research at Hartford Hospital in connecticut, who led the study leading to this report.
"That is not the whole story here because a lot of stuff we are talking about here is not about prevention -it is about sick patients and making people feel better. Doctors do not urge exercise because they are not reimbursed by insurers for exercise training. And drug companies spend millions to promote medicines and train doctors in their use, but no one does the same thing for exercise."
Physicians can help patients improve cholesterol levels and blood pressure just by prescribing an exercise regimen.
Various studies show that most western doctors are not trained or do not the incentives to prescribe exercise to their patients. Yet, they should regularly prescribe it as a way to lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease and diabetes, according to the American Heart Association on Monday June 23, 2003.
Exercise often works well as drugs, yet doctors fail to advise patients to get off their sofas and walk, cycle or run, the group said, citing data from 44 different studies. The American Heart Association and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other groups, recommend 30 minutes or more of the moderate exercise such as brisk walking on most or all days of the week.
One problem is that doctors are not trained in preventing disease, but only in treating it, said the director of preventive cardiology and cardiovascular research at Hartford Hospital in connecticut, who led the study leading to this report.
"That is not the whole story here because a lot of stuff we are talking about here is not about prevention -it is about sick patients and making people feel better. Doctors do not urge exercise because they are not reimbursed by insurers for exercise training. And drug companies spend millions to promote medicines and train doctors in their use, but no one does the same thing for exercise."
Physicians can help patients improve cholesterol levels and blood pressure just by prescribing an exercise regimen.
ValleyFeverPublisher, Calif.: Who Can Catch Valley Fever? Who is at Risk of Catching its Spores?
Just get relaxed: You can not catch valley fever from somebody who has the disease or spores in his/her system. Valley Fever is not a communicable disease. That is why nurses, doctors, even your treating physicians can not catch it from you.
If you breathe, you can catch it on your own. It is all about where you have been. Exposure to the disease is limited to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. These places meet certain soil and climatic conditions.
What does this mean? Anybody who has ever breathed, played or spent time on vacations or work trips can get exposed to this disease. These places are known as endemic hot places. In the Central Valley, all the areas comprising Bakersfield, Coalinga and else are know as valley fever hot spots. Fresno County Department of Public Health, Dr. Faisal Aranki said that people living in these regions show evidence of exposure to the the fungus. That is what may make the difference between somebody who had no previous exposure to the disease and a local inhabitant who end up catching it. One may become sicker than the other.
It goes without saying that migrant workers and others working the soils of California, specifically, the Central Valley, are at greater risk of developing Valley Fever. Migrant workers from Mexico who had already developed immunity against the disease may not catch it here in the great Valley.
According to Dr. Herbert Boro, Infectious Disease czar at Kaiser Permanente, at risk are people with a compromised immune system, the elderly, African Americans, Asians, and women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
If you breathe, you can catch it on your own. It is all about where you have been. Exposure to the disease is limited to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. These places meet certain soil and climatic conditions.
What does this mean? Anybody who has ever breathed, played or spent time on vacations or work trips can get exposed to this disease. These places are known as endemic hot places. In the Central Valley, all the areas comprising Bakersfield, Coalinga and else are know as valley fever hot spots. Fresno County Department of Public Health, Dr. Faisal Aranki said that people living in these regions show evidence of exposure to the the fungus. That is what may make the difference between somebody who had no previous exposure to the disease and a local inhabitant who end up catching it. One may become sicker than the other.
It goes without saying that migrant workers and others working the soils of California, specifically, the Central Valley, are at greater risk of developing Valley Fever. Migrant workers from Mexico who had already developed immunity against the disease may not catch it here in the great Valley.
According to Dr. Herbert Boro, Infectious Disease czar at Kaiser Permanente, at risk are people with a compromised immune system, the elderly, African Americans, Asians, and women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
A Circle of Friends, Caregivers, Money and Insurance Are Important to Combat Valley Fever Spores
If you expect to beat Valley Fever, if you expect to survive this disease, you will need all the help you can get. Some of the most important people in your life will be your doctor, immediate family members, friends and caregivers. Your nurse will be a key person. Believe me, each one of them will turn out to be your cheerleader when your dark days arrive. On many occasions, you will feel so lousy that you will not want to do anything or even get out of bed. Your energy will be sapped away. As you are losing energy, you will need to replace it with good nutrition.
Talking about the caregivers, doctors and family members, you will soon realize they are your first line of defense. You will not be able to do without them. Depending on whether your valley fever case was disseminated, you will have lots of appointments with your doctor. You will see him or her so much that you will get tired of them. But, try to never miss your appointments.
Thanks to my then-program coordinator, Suzanne, I never missed a doctor's appointment. She was and continues to be my main advocate. Since I had bone-deep surgery to remove an abscess, I had to have a nurse in the first few months of treatment. Once she was gone, I depended on my caregiver, my host mothers.
Thanks to Suzanne and Mrs. McKinney for helping save my life! Valley Fever is not a game. It is real. Thanks to my doctor. Above all, thanks to God! Two years before I landed in Coalinga, CA, a Japanese student caught Valley Fever and died of its complications. Islanders, Asians such as Philipino, Japanese, Pacific islanders and those with weak immune system can easily catch the disease.
Thanks to all my friends who sent notes, prayers and cards to the hospital! Thanks to St Agnes nurses too!
Talking about the caregivers, doctors and family members, you will soon realize they are your first line of defense. You will not be able to do without them. Depending on whether your valley fever case was disseminated, you will have lots of appointments with your doctor. You will see him or her so much that you will get tired of them. But, try to never miss your appointments.
Thanks to my then-program coordinator, Suzanne, I never missed a doctor's appointment. She was and continues to be my main advocate. Since I had bone-deep surgery to remove an abscess, I had to have a nurse in the first few months of treatment. Once she was gone, I depended on my caregiver, my host mothers.
Thanks to Suzanne and Mrs. McKinney for helping save my life! Valley Fever is not a game. It is real. Thanks to my doctor. Above all, thanks to God! Two years before I landed in Coalinga, CA, a Japanese student caught Valley Fever and died of its complications. Islanders, Asians such as Philipino, Japanese, Pacific islanders and those with weak immune system can easily catch the disease.
Thanks to all my friends who sent notes, prayers and cards to the hospital! Thanks to St Agnes nurses too!
California Cocci Secrets Revealed: Living with Valley Fever or Coccidioidomycosis
You may not know you are infected with the cocci infection weeks and months later. By that time, you may be living in another state or country. Now you may wonder how many people may have been unknowingly exposed to cocci while visiting, working, and studying in California. Is there any booklet or brochure from the Tourism Department on this disease? Maybe yes, maybe not. Yet, California needs healthy tourists who will return to spend money here. Sick and dead people do not travel!
You can pick up the infection while being on business in California, and specially in the hot breeding grounds such as Bakersfield, Coalinga and elsewhere in the great San Joaquin Valley. It is not uncommon to develop the Valley Fever symptoms way later after you have been back home. What are you going to do when no doctors know about or can recognize the disease?
In my own case, if I left California or went back to the Caribbean after catching the fungus, I would be certainly dead in no time!
The public health nurse or treating physician will be interested in your line of work and the areas you had been visiting and living. Location or places you visited in the past few months will give him some good clues as to what to shoot for. Just like for most people and for me, by the time we have an appointment with an infectious disease doctor, we will have already exhausted many other possibilities. Also, our mind will play tricks on us. The loss of appetite, high fevers, bathing in night sweats, joint pain and fatigue will bog us down. You may have what appears to be the flu.
By then, your system will have been engaged in a terrible fight with the cocci. It will be a near-perfect invasion of your most important organs, tissues and cells. Your red cells will start being depleted. Left untreated, valley fever attacks can be deadly.
Healthcare providers, your doctors or hospital may order a serological test to check for antibodies against the fungus. My treating doctor explained that he was looking for a tither that shows exposure. He then sent it to the University of California, Davis. The results of that test from UC Davis will confirm how long the patient has had the disease in his body and the stage it is at. Just like cancer, doctors have to find out the valley fever stage.
Infectious disease doctors also conduct other tests. Some of them may include a biopsy of the affected tissue or a culture of tissue or body fluids such as sputum. Before they can zero in on the Valley Fever, they have to rule out other common infectious diseases such as TB, HIV and others. That is why it is very difficult to tell just by the symptoms. Otherwise, it would be like playing doctor.
Most Valley Fever providers and treating physicians will tell you that Valley Fever symptoms are very vague and non-specific. What this means is that they can masquerade like regular flu or symptoms common with other diseases. In my case, a biopsy of my upper left buttock's affected area was taken and sent away to be cultured.
I clearly remember having ridden my bicycle with some college mates above the oil-rigged hills and mountains of Coalinga, CA. Some of us fell off the bikes. I landed on my left side. I got up and rode down the hills without paying too much attention to the pain. It was the same type of fall I would get when playing soccer with the guys. I came back down and helped my host family clean up the backyard. Little did I know that being in good physical shape would eventually help me fight the fungus!
Now it is safe to say that many cases of Valley Fever do not require the heavy-duty treatment I went through. You may not go through "shake and bake," for example. If you are one of those at risk of developing severe disease, your doctor may prescribe flucanozole which is for acute, uncomplicated coccidioidomycosis. The center for disease control and prevention recommend that patients who develop pneumonia in both lungs and other systemic disease should receive antifungal therapy. And it is not unusual to spend months or even years on antifungal therapy before you can truly resume your work and other activities. Well, I was one of these patients with comorbidities who required more than a year of treatment and numerous visits to my doctor's office. Valley Fever treatment requires and takes time, patience and money, all at the same time. It is not a game. It is life or death for most of us and specially those with no previous immunity against the cocci.
How do we cohabit with Valley Fever? Is there a Vaccine against the disease?
Folks, the California secret is finally revealed! Valley Fever is not going to go away. And there is no vaccine that can prevent it. All you can do is stay away from dust and dry soil. Drought is not good for anybody here in the Central Valley. Farmers need water for our large variety of crops. More cases of the disease surface after a drought and earthquakes. Keep your windows closed and make sure to water before tilling or planting. Wear a mask when venturing out on windy days in the Valley.
You can pick up the infection while being on business in California, and specially in the hot breeding grounds such as Bakersfield, Coalinga and elsewhere in the great San Joaquin Valley. It is not uncommon to develop the Valley Fever symptoms way later after you have been back home. What are you going to do when no doctors know about or can recognize the disease?
In my own case, if I left California or went back to the Caribbean after catching the fungus, I would be certainly dead in no time!
The public health nurse or treating physician will be interested in your line of work and the areas you had been visiting and living. Location or places you visited in the past few months will give him some good clues as to what to shoot for. Just like for most people and for me, by the time we have an appointment with an infectious disease doctor, we will have already exhausted many other possibilities. Also, our mind will play tricks on us. The loss of appetite, high fevers, bathing in night sweats, joint pain and fatigue will bog us down. You may have what appears to be the flu.
By then, your system will have been engaged in a terrible fight with the cocci. It will be a near-perfect invasion of your most important organs, tissues and cells. Your red cells will start being depleted. Left untreated, valley fever attacks can be deadly.
Healthcare providers, your doctors or hospital may order a serological test to check for antibodies against the fungus. My treating doctor explained that he was looking for a tither that shows exposure. He then sent it to the University of California, Davis. The results of that test from UC Davis will confirm how long the patient has had the disease in his body and the stage it is at. Just like cancer, doctors have to find out the valley fever stage.
Infectious disease doctors also conduct other tests. Some of them may include a biopsy of the affected tissue or a culture of tissue or body fluids such as sputum. Before they can zero in on the Valley Fever, they have to rule out other common infectious diseases such as TB, HIV and others. That is why it is very difficult to tell just by the symptoms. Otherwise, it would be like playing doctor.
Most Valley Fever providers and treating physicians will tell you that Valley Fever symptoms are very vague and non-specific. What this means is that they can masquerade like regular flu or symptoms common with other diseases. In my case, a biopsy of my upper left buttock's affected area was taken and sent away to be cultured.
I clearly remember having ridden my bicycle with some college mates above the oil-rigged hills and mountains of Coalinga, CA. Some of us fell off the bikes. I landed on my left side. I got up and rode down the hills without paying too much attention to the pain. It was the same type of fall I would get when playing soccer with the guys. I came back down and helped my host family clean up the backyard. Little did I know that being in good physical shape would eventually help me fight the fungus!
Now it is safe to say that many cases of Valley Fever do not require the heavy-duty treatment I went through. You may not go through "shake and bake," for example. If you are one of those at risk of developing severe disease, your doctor may prescribe flucanozole which is for acute, uncomplicated coccidioidomycosis. The center for disease control and prevention recommend that patients who develop pneumonia in both lungs and other systemic disease should receive antifungal therapy. And it is not unusual to spend months or even years on antifungal therapy before you can truly resume your work and other activities. Well, I was one of these patients with comorbidities who required more than a year of treatment and numerous visits to my doctor's office. Valley Fever treatment requires and takes time, patience and money, all at the same time. It is not a game. It is life or death for most of us and specially those with no previous immunity against the cocci.
How do we cohabit with Valley Fever? Is there a Vaccine against the disease?
Folks, the California secret is finally revealed! Valley Fever is not going to go away. And there is no vaccine that can prevent it. All you can do is stay away from dust and dry soil. Drought is not good for anybody here in the Central Valley. Farmers need water for our large variety of crops. More cases of the disease surface after a drought and earthquakes. Keep your windows closed and make sure to water before tilling or planting. Wear a mask when venturing out on windy days in the Valley.
Valley Fever Spores and California's Dry and Windy Conditions
The drier and windier conditions that exist in California, usually after long periods of drought and wild fires, the likelier one is to catch or inhale the spores of the fungus that cause Valley Fever or Coccidioidomycocis. I can easily remember those hot and windy August months in 1990 when I arrived in Coalinga, CA. The city of Coalinga was not developed as it is right now. The dirt from the recently plowed surrounding fields got into my eyes and anywhere in the city. West Hills College campus was not spared. I was not ready to miss a class because of a wind storm. I rode my bike to class at all times. Besides the various trips to the Coalinga hills where oil is being extracted by animal and bee-like devices, I had various opportunities to be exposed to the fungus. Being an immigrant to the San Joaquin Valley, I did not know the impact of the dry and windy weather would have on me. Nobody prepared me for what would come next. Nobody warned me and my fellow islanders about the likelihood of catching the disease
Most Central Valley hospital staff know that they will see an increase in cocci cases whenever there are arid months followed by drought. From St Agnes Hospital, Community Hospital, to Kaiser Permanente, infection control coordinators, nurses and physicians see thousands of cases of people who came in contact with the disease. According to the California Department of Public Health, between 50,000 and 100,00 people develop symptoms of Valley Fever each year in the United States. California has about 35,000 + of these cases. The disease is more common than you think. Yet most Americans and specially Arizonans and Californians have no idea about its impact. It is a costly disease to treat. You still have to spend a lot of money without a steady income. Pray that you have a good insurance if you get sick! Money and health insurance will increase your survivability.
What can we do about the fungus?
The cocci live in the soil and produce spores. Dry top soil gets loosened up. And the wind just picks it up. Besides the wind, we have construction activity, agricultural work and other natural disasters such as earthquakes, wild fires that tend to disturb the soil. You may have noticed that various builders get water trucks to spray water and clean construction sites to keep the dirt from escaping. Once the spores become airborne, people breathe them in. They tend to locate in the most lungs which are an ideal growth spot. Keep in mind they can grow anywhere else in your body. Once you are diagnosed with Valley Fever, make sure you find a good infectious disease doctor who can manage your treatment. While you may feel lousy most of the times, do not hesitate to participate in activities such as reading, play, arts, writing and even dance. Walk, sharpen your mind and eat healthy meals! Consult with your physician regarding the exercise. Above all, take it easy!
What are the symptoms of this disease (Valley Fever)?
Some of you may have a natural immunity to the disease. And those of you who do not have it will catch it. Why? All of us have to breathe to live. The disease shows up as a mild, flu-like illness, with high fever, cough, headache, rash, and muscle aches within three weeks after exposure. Can you imagine abou Now, understand that your body will put up a huge fight to keep you healthy. If you are lucky, your body will be successful in fighting it off. The unlucky ones will develop a chronic lung infection. The disease may disseminate and cause a wide-spread infection. During my treatment for Valley Fever, I saw other patients with major skin lesions, meningitis, bone and joint infection. The lesions can occur anywhere in the body, from head to toe. What kills patients are the cases of disseminated valley fever. The complications can be lethal. Valley Fever survivors know a few things about what it takes to beat this disease. This is why I wrote this article to help those who are going through their treatment right now.
Most Central Valley hospital staff know that they will see an increase in cocci cases whenever there are arid months followed by drought. From St Agnes Hospital, Community Hospital, to Kaiser Permanente, infection control coordinators, nurses and physicians see thousands of cases of people who came in contact with the disease. According to the California Department of Public Health, between 50,000 and 100,00 people develop symptoms of Valley Fever each year in the United States. California has about 35,000 + of these cases. The disease is more common than you think. Yet most Americans and specially Arizonans and Californians have no idea about its impact. It is a costly disease to treat. You still have to spend a lot of money without a steady income. Pray that you have a good insurance if you get sick! Money and health insurance will increase your survivability.
What can we do about the fungus?
The cocci live in the soil and produce spores. Dry top soil gets loosened up. And the wind just picks it up. Besides the wind, we have construction activity, agricultural work and other natural disasters such as earthquakes, wild fires that tend to disturb the soil. You may have noticed that various builders get water trucks to spray water and clean construction sites to keep the dirt from escaping. Once the spores become airborne, people breathe them in. They tend to locate in the most lungs which are an ideal growth spot. Keep in mind they can grow anywhere else in your body. Once you are diagnosed with Valley Fever, make sure you find a good infectious disease doctor who can manage your treatment. While you may feel lousy most of the times, do not hesitate to participate in activities such as reading, play, arts, writing and even dance. Walk, sharpen your mind and eat healthy meals! Consult with your physician regarding the exercise. Above all, take it easy!
What are the symptoms of this disease (Valley Fever)?
Some of you may have a natural immunity to the disease. And those of you who do not have it will catch it. Why? All of us have to breathe to live. The disease shows up as a mild, flu-like illness, with high fever, cough, headache, rash, and muscle aches within three weeks after exposure. Can you imagine abou Now, understand that your body will put up a huge fight to keep you healthy. If you are lucky, your body will be successful in fighting it off. The unlucky ones will develop a chronic lung infection. The disease may disseminate and cause a wide-spread infection. During my treatment for Valley Fever, I saw other patients with major skin lesions, meningitis, bone and joint infection. The lesions can occur anywhere in the body, from head to toe. What kills patients are the cases of disseminated valley fever. The complications can be lethal. Valley Fever survivors know a few things about what it takes to beat this disease. This is why I wrote this article to help those who are going through their treatment right now.
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