valley fever

Thân thiện

A person in a desert region wears a protective mask to avoid valley fever.

Definition

Noun: 1. A fungal infection primarily affecting the lungs and sometimes the skin: Valley fever is a disease caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Coccidioides. It is characterized by respiratory symptoms and can cause skin lesions.

Usage

• Valley fever is a regional name for the medical condition coccidioidomycosis.
• It is commonly used in areas where the disease is endemic, such as the southwestern United States.
• The term is used in both medical and general contexts to describe the infection.

Examples

• Noun:
  • After the dust storm, several cases of valley fever were reported in the county.
  • The doctor diagnosed the patient's persistent cough and fatigue as valley fever.
  • Farmers in the region are aware of the risk of contracting valley fever.

Advanced Usage

• "Disseminated valley fever": A severe form of the infection where the fungus spreads from the lungs to other parts of the body, such as the skin, bones, or brain.
  • The patient's condition worsened into disseminated valley fever, requiring aggressive treatment.

Variants and Related Words

• Coccidioidomycosis (n): The formal medical term for valley fever.
  • The lab report confirmed a diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis.
• San Joaquin Valley fever (n): Another historical name for the same disease, named after a region in California where it is common.

Synonyms

• Cocci (n, informal): A common abbreviation used in endemic areas.
  • He's been sick with cocci for a few weeks now.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an infection of the lungs and skin characterized by excessive sputum and nodules

Từ đồng nghĩa

• coccidioidomycosis
• coccidiomycosis
• desert rheumatism