What is Cocci Meningitis & Does It Cause Rashes?
Cocci meningitis occurs when the fungi coccidioidomycosis, (frequently shortened to"cocci") spreads from the lungs to the brain, causing an infection of the brain's lining. Cocci lives in dry, alkaline soil and is frequently inhaled into the lungs of people who live in desert valleys. For this reason, coccidioidomycosis is also often called "Valley Fever." Cocci meningitis occurs most often in young Caucasian men. While it cannot be completely cured, the fatality rate has decreased dramatically in the last 50 years.
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Symptoms
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Rashes are a symptom of the coccidioidomycosis fungus, but not of the spread of the fungus to the brain (cocci meningitis). In fact, as many as half the people who inhale the fungi spores do not develop any symptoms at all. The other half develop rashes, aches and pains, and flu or cold-like symptoms. If coccidioidomycosis does spread to the lining of the brain or to other parts of the body, like the bones, the patient may not present any symptoms for up to a year. Spreading of the fungus only occurs in .5 percent of patients that contract coccidioidomycosis. The symptoms of cocci meningitis are a long-lasting bad headache, nausea and vomiting, and a stiff neck.
History
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The first case was diagnosed in 1892 in a soldier from Argentina. He was thought to have some form of cancer. In 1894, a case arose in San Francisco. The patient was thought to be suffering from a parasite. Finally, in the early 1900s, it was discovered that the disease arose from a fungus. It was found in cattle in 1929 and finally identified to be prevalent in certain types of soil in 1932.
Many soldiers suffered from the disease when they were deployed to Air Force bases located in desert valleys in the west during World War II. Many young males died from cocci meningitis. In 1954, treatment for the disease improved with the antibiotic amphotericin B, which had to be painfully and directly injected into the base of the skull in order to be effective. Finally, in the latter part of the century, it was found that large doses of fluconazole, given orally, was effective in destroying the virus, saving many lives. -
Misconceptions
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Cocci meningitis (and coccidioidomycosis) is not contagious. Animals develop it just as humans do, but it does not spread from animal to animal, human to human or animal to human. It can only be caught by inhaling the spores of the fungus, which is usually present in the soil. In addition, the spores are often found on the wind, especially when that wind kicks up dust.
Treatment
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There is no treatment for coccidioidomycosis that remains in the lungs, as it will eventually be expelled from the body. The accompanying symptoms will also cease within a few weeks. If it spreads, however, it must be treated. If it becomes cocci meningitis, the treatment may include the injection of amphotericin-B into the base of the skull and large doses of fluconazole, which can be given through an IV or orally. Because it cannot be cured but only controlled, treatment must continue for the rest of the patient's life. Side effects from the treatment can include nausea, kidney damage and fever.
Geography
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The cocci fungus is endemic to the drier areas of the American Southwest and West. It is also commonly found in northern Mexico and many areas in Central and South America. The highest number of cases are found in San Joaquin, California's Kern County,
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Resources
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