Dr. Fariba Donavan
The next Health Night Out presentation, “The Latest on Valley Fever,” by Fariba Donavan, M.D., Ph.D., will be on July 24 at 7 p.m. in the DesertView Theatre.
Dr. Donovan combines the better of two worlds—she is a practicing physician and a research scientist. Her current position is associate professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine, at the Valley Fever Center for Excellence.
Dr. Donovan brings her wealth of knowledge to Health Night Out on Monday, July 24, at 7 p.m. Her research focuses on infections that result from pathogenic fungi. One objective of her studies is to help with early diagnosis of Valley fever, which means better outcomes for patients and reduced costs. The Valley Fever Center for Excellence here in Tucson is a leader in the country.
Valley fever is found in the Southwest United States, parts of Mexico, and Central and South America. Recently, it has been found in South Central Washington. Late summer and early fall are high seasons for Valley fever, which can develop into meningitis if untreated. If you live here in the Tucson area, you are likely to contract Valley fever sooner or later. Some will not notice, while others may have severe symptoms.
Dr. Donavan’s international education is vast and impressive. She earned her M.D. in Shiraz, Iran, and continued study in dermatology at the Gifu University School of Medicine in Japan. There she did postgraduate research in the Department of Biochemistry and earned her Ph.D. in dermatology. She completed a residency in Family Practice at Bethesda in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a residency in Internal Medicine at Good Samaritan in Cincinnati. She completed her fellowship in infectious disease at the University of South Florida in Tampa and is board-certified and licensed by the American Board of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases.
If you have symptoms of fatigue, cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, night sweats, and muscle and joint aches, these common complaints could indicate Valley fever. Learn more about the latest in diagnosis and treatment with Dr. Donovan at Health Night Out on July 24 in the DesertView Theatre at 7 p.m.