Mayo Clinic laboratory developing Valley fever rapid test

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A Valley laboratory is developing a rapid antibody test to help with a common desert illness.

The Mayo Clinic’s Microbiology Laboratory, in partnership with Arizona Sate University, is developing a rapid antibody test for Valley fever that will get results in 10 minutes or less.

Right now, those results can take up to a week, which often times determines treatment for a patient who is dealing with overlapping symptoms that could be from Valley fever, the flu, COVID-19 or a cold.

“Many patients take more than three weeks to get diagnosed properly, and in that time, they are taking antibacterial drugs that they don’t need and aren’t going to help,” Dr. Thomas Grys with Mayo Clinic said. “So the sooner we can get the accurate result, the sooner we can get the right treatment, which is often no therapy at all.”

The rapid test will be available commercially at the end of 2025.

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