An Indian software developer has died in the United States after a month-long battle with Valley fever. Chiranjeevi Kolla breathed his last in California earlier this month after contracting Valley fever — a fungal infection that affects the lungs. Kolla was 37 and is survived by his wife and their five-year-old son.
A fundraiser started by his cousin, Rama Koteswara Rao, explained that the US-based techie first took ill in April with symptoms that closely resembled the common flu. As his health kept worsening, he visited the emergency room and was told he had pneumonia.
Then, tests revealed something more dangerous — Chiranjeevi Kolla had contracted Valley fever.
What is Valley fever?
Valley fever is a fungal infection caused by inhaling spores of a fungus called Coccidioides, which lives in soil, especially in dry, desert regions. It most commonly occurs in parts of the southwestern United States (like Arizona and California), as well as parts of Mexico and Central and South America.
Many people don’t get symptoms, but if they do, they may include fever, cough, fatigue etc. While most people recover from Valley fever on their own, some develop more severe lung disease.
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What happened to Chiranjeevi Kolla?
According to the started by Rao, Chiranjeevi Kolla “came down with what felt like an ordinary flu” in early April. When it kept getting worse, he went to the emergency room.
“Doctors first called it severe pneumonia. Then the tests came back: it was Valley Fever — a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides, picked up from the air in California’s soil. Most people who get it never know. In his case, it overwhelmed his lungs,” the fundraiser explained.
The NRI was intubated and placed on a ventilator. He spent a month in the hospital before succumbing to his illness.
Why the fundraiser?
Kolla’s cousin described him as “the heart of his household and its primary provider”.
The GoFundMe is aiming to raise $300,000 that will be used for his funeral and final rites in California and India, hospital out-of-pocket costs from a 30-day ICU and ventilator stay, and 12 months of living expenses for his wife Pavani and their 5-year-old son Vihan.
The fundraiser has already met 60% of its goal through more than 2,700 contributions.
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