Coccidioidomycosis is on the rise in California, Medscape reports.

“Healthcare providers should be alert for coccidioidomycosis among patients who live in or have traveled to areas where the disease is endemic, especially those who work or participate in activities where dust is generated,” write Gail Sondermeyer Cooksey, MPH, from the Infectious Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases in the California Department of Public Health in Richmond, and colleagues.

Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley Fever, is caused by inhalation of Coccidioides spp spores. For most patients, the infection is self-limiting, with influenza-like symptoms. However, it can cause severe pulmonary disease and, in rare cases, disseminated disease including meningitis.

Read more at www.medscape.com