Valley Fever can cause rashes that look several different ways. A common presentation is as painful or tender, slightly elevated red nodules or bumps, which may change color to bluish to brown and often occur on the legs, but may occur on the chest, arms and back. Another common form of rash is a red raised rash which may have blisters or somewhat pointed pimple-like bumps. It's important to note that other diseases may also cause rashes that look the same. No, a skin test alone is not helpful in most cases.
Reactivity is lifelong.
An individual living in an endemic area and having a positive skin test could have been exposed years before being tested. However, a positive skin test on a patient from a non-endemic area, having recently returned from the Southwest or other endemic areas, probably would indicate recent exposure. Generally, a skin test is not considered a means of diagnosis, but a tool of epidemiologic studies. The tuberculosis and Valley Fever skin tests do not cross react. The presence of tuberculosis will not cause a positive cocci skin test nor will the presence of Valley Fever cause a positive tuberculin test.