sick in Yuma

I know that Valley Fever is not the flu. But the epidemic described sounds more like the flu than VF.

SCVJeff wrote:
The last time this was a big deal in the Los Angeles area was after the '94 Northridge quake when all the spores got shaken to the surface (and its the 20th anniversary, so... shhhhh), then a few days later we got a huge Santa Ana wind event that blew the spores off of the N. Los Angeles mtns. and right at the people.

Hey - I didn't post this, "SCVJeff" - you did.

I disagree with -
"The last time this was a big deal in the Los Angeles area was after the '94 Northridge quake.....etc"..:W

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ol Bombero-JC wrote:


BTW - BIL lives in the same San Fernando Valley (Granada Hills, CA) house he had during the Northridge E-quake. Close to all the resultant damage (including his neighborhood).
Lots of his neighbors from the same era are still there also.
Nobody had any problems with Valley Fever.


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Is it possible that folks that have lived a long time in endemic areas are just less susceptible to the more serious effects than those from elsewhere?

I ask because according to the U. of A. Valley Fever page, here quoting "Most cases (60%) have no symptoms or only very mild flu-like symptoms and do not see a doctor."

That page goes on to say that an initial infection/bout usually confers lifetime immunity except in some folks who develop weakened systems later on in life.

And..... back to the original topic......

University of Arizona - Valley Fever

"Two-thirds of all US Valley Fever Infections are contracted in Arizona".

San Joaquin County (CA) Public Services

Covers: Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, What is VF, Who gets VF, How the spores affect the body, Symptoms".

For the folks that have "lived in AZ (or?) for 50 years", and never had VF - - they might actually have it with no ill effects:

(From San Joaquin info) -
"Perhaps as many as 60-70% of all people infected with cocci develop no symptoms at all".

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Unfortunately, for some - the effects of VF can be very debilitating and/or life threatening:(


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Immune, as referring to VF, means most people with healthy immunes systems, will not get it again, but there have been cases were it has returned in people with weakened immune systems, caused by Aids, Cancer, and other diseases.
I'm certainly not worried about getting it again, and I'm still moving dirt in the same area, as is my neighbor. We worry more about the dogs, but so far so good. It's even possible they have already had it, and we didn't know.

Valley "Disease" .

Same discussion (thread) from 2011.

Nay sayers, sky is falling, factual info, etc, etc - - -

The link is to the last post - of that thread - by "EPenny". - Yikes!

In the Dust Bowl of the 1930's many people died of what the doctors called "Dust Pneumonia" - while others survived, still in the affected areas, living to old age.


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The difference between Valley Fever, and other diseases like the flu,, etc. is, it is so often misdiagnosed . A person comes here for a visit, goes back home, say to some small town in Mich, gets a cough, fatigued, goes to their doctor, doctor gets a chest X-ray, and since VF looks just like Lung Cancer, he orders a Cat-Scan, or a lung biopsy. Trust me it happens.
Even here in Tucson, I went to my Primary care doctor (6 years ago) at the VA, she was new to the area. Ordered a chest X-ray, called and told me that I needed a Cat-Scan, chest X-Ray showed nodules, that could be cancer. I knew what I had and told her I would wait till the FV blood test came back. It was positive for VF. Cat-Scan avoided because I was aware of VF.
So, people can say what they want, but if my experience keeps one person from avoiding the panic of being told they may have Lung Cancer, or undergoing a Lung Biopsy, that's good enough for me.

If one does get VF and they can stay down South for treatment, then they are generally better off! As the doctors at home will have very limited experience treating it. One of my friends stayed the summer a few years ago for this on the advice of his doctor!

Chris

My Roadtrek wrote:
The difference between Valley Fever, and other diseases like the flu,, etc. is, it is so often misdiagnosed . A person comes here for a visit, goes back home, say to some small town in Mich, gets a cough, fatigued, goes to their doctor, doctor gets a chest X-ray, and since VF looks just like Lung Cancer, he orders a Cat-Scan, or a lung biopsy. Trust me it happens.
Even here in Tucson, I went to my Primary care doctor (6 years ago) at the VA, she was new to the area. Ordered a chest X-ray, called and told me that I needed a Cat-Scan, chest X-Ray showed nodules, that could be cancer. I knew what I had and told her I would wait till the FV blood test came back. It was positive for VF. Cat-Scan avoided because I was aware of VF.
So, people can say what they want, but if my experience keeps one person from avoiding the panic of being told they may have Lung Cancer, or undergoing a Lung Biopsy, that's good enough for me.

...keeps one person from avoiding (not just a biopsy) but UN-necessary surgery for a lung *REMOVAL* !!..:(..:(

Read and heed:

Signs and Symptoms - from AVVF site

Newcomers and visitors to areas where VF is prevalent are especially susceptible.

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ol Bombero-JC wrote:

Valley "Disease" .

Same discussion (thread) from 2011.

Nay sayers, sky is falling, factual info, etc, etc - - -

The link is to the last post - of that thread - by "EPenny". - Yikes!

In the Dust Bowl of the 1930's many people died of what the doctors called "Dust Pneumonia" - while others survived, still in the affected areas, living to old age.


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Epenney here...For those of us that get disseminated Valley Fever, it is a very serious disease.