Valley Fever Center For Excellence Celebrates 25 Years

UArizona Health Sciences Connect

Twenty-five years ago, valley fever was an obscure fungal disease from the southwestern U.S. few people understood. But Dr. John Galgiani, knew the severe health consequences of this largely respiratory infection and took that knowledge to the Arizona Board of Regents, which authorized the creation of the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence. Ingrained in the center's mission is outreach and education, and Dr. Galgiani, who also serves as medical director for the Banner – University Medicine Valley Fever Program in Tucson and Phoenix, education includes developing clinical guidelines for clinicians on how to recognize the disease, test for it and treat it.