Rift Valley Fever Diagnosis
Valley fever isn’t diagnosed on the basis of signs and symptoms, which are usually vague and nonspecific, or on a chest X-ray, which can’t distinguish valley fever from other lung diseases. Instead, a definitive diagnosis depends on finding Coccidioides spherules (cysts) in tissue, blood or other body secretions.
Several approaches may be used in diagnosing acute RVF. Serological tests such as enzyme-linked immunoassay (the “ELISA” or “EIA” methods) may demonstrate the presence of specific IgM antibodies to the virus. The virus itself may be detected in blood during the viremia phase of illness or post-mortem tissues by a variety of techniques including virus propagation (in cell cultures or inoculated animals), antigen detection tests, and PCR, a molecular method for detecting the viral genome.
You’re likely to have one or more of the following tests:
Sputum smear or culture. These tests check a sample of your sputum for the presence of the valley fever fungus.
Blood tests. Through a blood test, your doctor can check for antibodies against the fungus that causes valley fever.
Complications When to seek medical advice
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