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Medical Definition of Desert fever
1. A disease common in the San Joaquin Valley of California and certain additional areas in the southwestern U.S. As well as the Chaco region of Argentina, caused by inhalation of the arthroconidia of Coccidioides immitis; acute onset of symptoms resemble pneumonia or pulmonary tuberculosis, productive of sputum usually containing spores of the fungus, and accompanied by aches, malaise, severe headache, and occasionally an early erythematous or papular eruption; erythema multiforme or erythema nodosum may appear; the coccidioidin test is positive. Synonym: desert fever, San Joaquin fever, San Joaquin Valley disease, San Joaquin Valley fever, valley fever. (05 Mar 2000)