Coccidioides Antibody, Complement Fixation (Valley Fever):
Fasting Required: No
Lab: Quest Diagnostics
Specimen: Blood
Results: Average processing time 3-5 days
Note: Result turnaround times are an estimate and are not guaranteed. Our reference lab may need additional time due to weather, holidays, confirmation/repeat testing, or equipment maintenance.
Limitations: False-negatives may occur in patients with solitary pulmonary lesions. Patients with active histoplasmosis may generate cross reactions. Elevated serum antibodies may be present in patients with meningeal coccidiocomycosis.
Description: This test looks for antibodies to the fungus Coccidioides immitis. This fungus causes Coccidioidomycosis (a.k.a. Valley fever, San Joaquin Valley fever), which is most commonly seen in desert regions of the southwestern United States, and in Central and South America. You get it by breathing in the fungus from soil. Infection starts in the lungs and can cause fever, chest pain, coughing, and other signs and symptoms.
Lab: Quest Diagnostics
Specimen: Blood
Results: Average processing time 3-5 days
Note: Result turnaround times are an estimate and are not guaranteed. Our reference lab may need additional time due to weather, holidays, confirmation/repeat testing, or equipment maintenance.
Limitations: False-negatives may occur in patients with solitary pulmonary lesions. Patients with active histoplasmosis may generate cross reactions. Elevated serum antibodies may be present in patients with meningeal coccidiocomycosis.
Description: This test looks for antibodies to the fungus Coccidioides immitis. This fungus causes Coccidioidomycosis (a.k.a. Valley fever, San Joaquin Valley fever), which is most commonly seen in desert regions of the southwestern United States, and in Central and South America. You get it by breathing in the fungus from soil. Infection starts in the lungs and can cause fever, chest pain, coughing, and other signs and symptoms.