India, May 10 -- 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.

Valley fever is a fungal infection caused by inhaling s...