How is Valley Fever diagnosed?
Diagnosis is obtained by use of a specific blood test (called a coccidioidal or cocci serology) which measures the level or titer of antibodies to the fungus. A positive titer is usually measured or reported in dilutions of the patient’s serum that continue to react to the fungal antigen. Titers are reported as 1:2, 1:4, etc. In early disease, the cocci serology must be repeated in 2-4 weeks if negative because the antibody level is too low to be detected. Culture of sputum, tissue, biopsies, or body fluids or histopathologic (microscopic) evidence from the same sources are diagnostic.
Diagnosis is obtained by use of a specific blood test (called a coccidioidin or cocci serology) which measures the level or titer of antibodies to the fungus. A positive titer is usually measured or reported in dilutions of the patient’s serum that continue to react to the fungal antigen. Titers are reported as 1:2, 1:4, etc. In early disease, the cocci serology must be repeated in 2–4 weeks if negative because the antibody level is too low to be detected. Culture of sputum, tissue, biopsies, or body fluids or histopathology (microscopic) evidence from the same sources are diagnostic.
