Kern Medical, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is initiating a clinical trial to improve the recognition and management of Valley Fever.

One of only six trial sites in California and Arizona, Kern Medical says Valley Fever is estimated to cause up to 30 percent of all community-acquired pneumonia cases. Due to similarity of symptoms, patients are often misdiagnosed.

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This leads to physicians possibly not considering the ailment to be Valley Fever until it's too late.

"We hope the trial will increase awareness of Valley Fever and improve our ability to diagnose it in its earliest stages," Russell Judd, CEO of Kern Medical, said.

The trial will be conducted by the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the world's largest academic research organization, with Kern Medical Valley Fever experts serve in an advisory capacity.