The death of 37-year-old Indian tech professional Chiranjeevi Kolla after a month-long battle with Valley fever is drawing attention to a disease many people outside the American Southwest have never heard of — despite it infecting thousands every year.
Kolla, who lived in California with his wife, Pavani Marella, and their five-year-old son, reportedly developed flu-like symptoms in April before his condition rapidly worsened. According to a fundraiser shared by his family, doctors initially suspected severe pneumonia before tests confirmed Valley fever, a fungal infection caused by inhaling airborne spores found in soil.
His case underscores a growing public health concern in parts of the United States where climate conditions, dust exposure, and expanding development are increasing the spread of fungal diseases that often go undiagnosed in the early stages.
What Is Valley Fever?
Valley fever — medically known as coccidioidomycosis — is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides fungi, which live in dry soil in certain regions of the Americas.
The disease primarily affects the lungs and spreads when microscopic fungal spores become airborne and are inhaled.
The fungus is most commonly found in:
- California
- Arizona
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Parts of Texas
- Mexico
- Central and South America
In the United States, California’s Central Valley and the desert regions of Arizona are considered major hotspots.
Unlike viruses such as COVID-19 or influenza, Valley fever is not generally spread person-to-person. Infection happens through environmental exposure.
How People Get Infected
The fungus remains dormant in soil until the ground is disturbed.
Spores can become airborne through the following:
- Dust storms
- Construction activity
- Farming
- Earthmoving
- Wildfires
- High winds
Once inhaled, the spores enter the lungs, where they can trigger infection.
Many people exposed to the fungus never develop symptoms. Others experience mild illness that resembles a seasonal flu infection.
That similarity is one reason Valley fever is frequently misdiagnosed.
Why Valley Fever Is Often Missed by Doctors
Early Valley fever symptoms overlap heavily with common respiratory illnesses.
Symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Persistent cough
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Night sweats
Because patients often present with what appears to be pneumonia or bronchitis, doctors may initially prescribe antibiotics, which do not work against fungal infections.
In some cases, diagnosis takes weeks.
That delay can become dangerous if the infection progresses rapidly or spreads beyond the lungs.
Why Some Cases Become Severe
Most Valley fever infections are mild and resolve on their own.
But in a smaller percentage of patients, the infection becomes severe or disseminated, meaning it spreads to other parts of the body, including:
- Skin
- Bones
- Joints
- Brain
- Nervous system
Severe lung complications can also develop, sometimes requiring hospitalization, oxygen support, or mechanical ventilation.
According to the fundraiser shared by Kolla’s family, his lungs became overwhelmed by the infection, leading to prolonged ICU treatment before he died on May 5.
Who Is at Higher Risk?
Health experts say severe disease is more likely among the following:
- People with weakened immune systems
- Older adults
- Pregnant women
- Individuals with diabetes
- Organ transplant recipients
- Certain ethnic populations, including people of Filipino or African ancestry
However, severe cases can also occur in otherwise healthy adults.
That unpredictability is part of what makes the disease concerning.
Why Valley Fever Cases Are Rising
Public health researchers say Valley fever is becoming more common in the American Southwest.
Several factors are believed to be contributing:
Climate Change and Drought
Hotter temperatures and prolonged drought conditions create ideal environments for fungal growth in soil.
After dry periods, strong winds or rainfall can disperse spores more widely.
Population Growth in Desert Regions
Rapid urban development in states like California and Arizona means more construction activity disturbs contaminated soil.
As cities expand into arid regions, exposure risk increases.
Better Awareness and Testing
Improved testing has also led to more confirmed diagnoses that previously may have been mistaken for pneumonia or flu.
Why California Is Especially Vulnerable
California reports thousands of Valley fever cases annually, particularly in inland and agricultural regions.
The state’s dry climate, dust-prone terrain, and increasing wildfire activity create conditions favorable for airborne fungal spores.
According to public health agencies, infection risk tends to rise after
- Dust storms
- Excavation projects
- Earthquakes
- Wildfires
- Strong seasonal winds
People who work outdoors — including construction workers, agricultural laborers, and landscapers — may face higher exposure risk.
Can Valley Fever Be Treated?
Treatment depends on the severity of the infection.
Mild cases may resolve without medication. More serious infections are treated using antifungal drugs, sometimes for months or even years.
Common antifungal treatments include:
- Fluconazole
- Itraconazole
- Amphotericin B in severe cases
Patients with disseminated disease may require long-term monitoring.
There is currently no vaccine for Valley fever.
Why This Case Resonated With So Many Indian Immigrants in the US
The death of Chiranjeevi Kolla has resonated widely within the Indian diaspora in the United States, especially among tech workers living in California and Arizona.
Many immigrants arriving in the region are unfamiliar with Valley fever and may not recognize early symptoms or environmental risks.
The emotional details shared by the family fundraiser — including his young son asking when his father would return home — amplified public attention around a disease that often receives far less awareness than viral outbreaks.
It also highlighted the financial pressures serious illness can create in the US healthcare system, even for insured working professionals.
Valley Fever Is Not Rare: It’s Underrecognized
Despite sometimes being described as “rare,” Valley fever infects tens of thousands of people annually in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many experts argue that the disease remains underrecognized because
- Symptoms mimic common illnesses
- Testing is inconsistent
- Awareness outside endemic regions remains low
- Fungal diseases generally receive less public attention than viruses
Researchers also warn that climate shifts may expand the geographic range of the fungus in the coming decades.
That means Valley fever could eventually emerge in areas where doctors and residents are even less prepared to recognize it.