Can Valley Fever be misdiagnosed as lung cancer?

Can Valley Fever be misdiagnosed as lung cancer?

Can Valley Fever be misdiagnosed? Yes. Depending upon the symptoms, it may be confused with cancer, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and others.

Does Valley Fever affect your lungs?

Coccidioidomycosis, commonly referred to as “Valley fever,” is an infection that typically affects the lungs. It is caused by a fungus found in the soil in the southwestern United States and California, northern Mexico and parts of Central and South America.

Can lung fungus be mistaken for cancer?

A variety of fungal pulmonary infections can produce radiologic findings that mimic lung cancers. Distinguishing these infectious lesions from lung cancer remains challenging for radiologists and clinicians.

Does Valley Fever show up on CT scan?

The changes in bones and joints due to Valley Fever can be seen on x-rays and in CT-scans of the affected body part. Meningitis is the most serious and lethal complication of disseminated disease.

Do lung nodules from valley fever go away?

Most people struck with Valley Fever recover on their own. Some patients, like Pierce, develop lung nodules, which are small patches of infection in the lungs that can be mistaken for lung cancer. For Pierce, antifungal medications taken for a year helped him recover from the infection.

How Long Can Valley Fever lay dormant?

Signs of primary valley fever include a harsh dry cough, a fever, a lack of appetite, and lethargy or depression. These signs usually occur about three weeks after infection although sometimes, the organism can lay dormant in the body for up to three years before signs occur.

How do u get fungus in your lungs?

Fungal pneumonia is an infectious process in the lungs caused by one or more endemic or opportunistic fungi. Fungal infection occurs following the inhalation of spores, after the inhalation of conidia, or by the reactivation of a latent infection.

How big are lung nodules from Valley fever?

About five percent of cases of Valley Fever pneumonia (infection of the lungs) result in the development of nodules in the lung. Nodules are small residual patches of infection that generally appear as solitary lesions, typically 1 – 1.5 inches in diameter, and often produce no symptoms. On a chest x-ray, these nodules resemble lung cancer.

What are the symptoms of Valley fever in humans?

The majority show up with flu-like symptoms and fatigue, but a small number of people develop debilitating infections that spread from the lungs to other parts of the body, including the brain. Partly because the symptoms can vary from benign to life-threatening, Valley Fever is often unrecognized even in areas where the fungus is endemic.

How long do lung cavities last with Valley fever?

Another five percent of patients develop lung cavities after their initial infection with Valley Fever. These cavities occur most often in older adults, usually without symptoms, and about 50% of them disappear within two years. Occasionally, these cavities rupture, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing, and require surgical repair.

Is it possible to diagnose Valley fever without surgery?

Unfortunately, it is usually not possible to make a definite diagnosis without removing a part or the entire nodule by bronchoscopy, needle-aspiration or surgery. Another five percent of patients develop lung cavities after their initial infection with Valley Fever.