coccidioidomycosis
noun
coc·cid·i·oi·do·my·co·sis (ˌ)käk-ˌsi-dē-ˌȯi-dō-(ˌ)mī-ˈkō-səs 
: a disease especially of humans and domestic animals that is caused by inhalation of spores from either of two fungi (Coccidioides immitis or C. posadasii) found in dry soils of the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America and that may be asymptomatic or present as a mild to serious flu-like illness marked chiefly by fever, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue, and pneumonia but sometimes becoming disseminated beyond the lungs especially to the skin, bones, joints, and meninges resulting in painful lesions, swollen joints, or meningitis
called also cocci, San Joaquin fever, San Joaquin valley fever, valley fever
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Valley fever is a fungal infection, known by its scientific name, coccidioidomycosis. 
Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2022 The more severe version, disseminated coccidioidomycosis, affects 5-10% of infected people and can affect the skin, joints, heart and even the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Adela Wu, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2021 Valley fever, which is a fungal infection also known by its scientific name coccidioidomycosis, is not well-known outside of the American West. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 Other common fungal infections, such as athlete's foot caused by ringworm and coccidioidomycosis lung infections, also occur in parts of the body where lettuce has no presence. Daniel Funke, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2021 Valley fever, which is a fungal infection also known by its scientific name coccidioidomycosis, is not well-known outside of the American West. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 Valley fever, which is a fungal infection also known by its scientific name coccidioidomycosis, is not well-known outside of the American West. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 Valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis, is caused by the coccidioides fungus and can manifest as a primarily respiratory illness that self-resolves, or as a more severe, systemic condition that requires immediate medical attention. Dr. Adela Wu, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2021 Multifocal pneumonia can also be caused by a bacteria like streptococcus pneumoniae or legionella pneumophila, or a fungus like pneumocystis pneumonia, coccidioidomycosis, or cryptococcus, Dr. Casciari says. Korin Miller, Health.com, 9 Sep. 2021 See More
Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2022 The more severe version, disseminated coccidioidomycosis, affects 5-10% of infected people and can affect the skin, joints, heart and even the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Adela Wu, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2021 Valley fever, which is a fungal infection also known by its scientific name coccidioidomycosis, is not well-known outside of the American West. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 Other common fungal infections, such as athlete's foot caused by ringworm and coccidioidomycosis lung infections, also occur in parts of the body where lettuce has no presence. Daniel Funke, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2021 Valley fever, which is a fungal infection also known by its scientific name coccidioidomycosis, is not well-known outside of the American West. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 Valley fever, which is a fungal infection also known by its scientific name coccidioidomycosis, is not well-known outside of the American West. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 Valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis, is caused by the coccidioides fungus and can manifest as a primarily respiratory illness that self-resolves, or as a more severe, systemic condition that requires immediate medical attention. Dr. Adela Wu, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2021 Multifocal pneumonia can also be caused by a bacteria like streptococcus pneumoniae or legionella pneumophila, or a fungus like pneumocystis pneumonia, coccidioidomycosis, or cryptococcus, Dr. Casciari says. Korin Miller, Health.com, 9 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Coccidioides, genus of fungi (from coccidium) + mycosis
First Known Use
1937, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
coccidioidomycosis
noun
coc·cid·i·oi·do·my·co·sis (ˌ)käk-ˌsid-ē-ˌȯid-ō-(ˌ)mī-ˈkō-səs
variants also coccidiomycosis
(ˌ)käk-ˌsid-ē-ō-(ˌ)mī-ˈkō-səs
plural coccidioidomycoses -ˌsēz
: a disease of humans and domestic animals that is caused by inhalation of arthroconidia from either of two fungi of the genus Coccidioides (Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii) found in dry soils of the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America and that may be asymptomatic or present as a mild to serious flu-like illness marked chiefly by fever, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue, and pneumonia but sometimes becoming disseminated beyond the lungs especially to the skin, bones, joints, and meninges resulting in painful lesions, swollen joints, or meningitis
Early symptoms of the disease, which is clinically known as coccidioidomycosis, mimic the flu, with symptoms that include a cough, lethargy, and fever, most of those who become infected recover with little or no treatment and are subsequently immune. In about 2 percent to 3 percent of the cases, the disease spreads from the lungs and can attack the bones, liver, spleen, and skin. Jesse McKinley, The Boston Globe
Jesse McKinley, The Boston GlobeCoccidioidomycosis is transmitted through inhalation of the sporelike arthroconidia, which is easily aerosolized when dry soil is disturbed. In Arizona, the peak incidence of disease occurs during the hot, dry summer months and again in October when a dry spell follows late-summer rains. William A. Kormos et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
William A. Kormos et al., The New England Journal of Medicinecalled also cocci, San Joaquin fever, San Joaquin valley fever, valley fever