Indian tech professional dies in California after infecting with rare fungus

An Indian techie named Chiranjeevi Kolla passed away in California after battling with ‘valley fever’, a rare fungal infection that severely affected his lungs and led to respiratory failure.

Kolla, 37, worked in the healthcare technology sector in San Francisco, as per reports. He died on May 5 in Walnut Creek, California, after spending nearly a month in intensive care, his cousin Rama Koteswara Rao said on his GoFundMe page,  created to support Kolla’s wife Pavani Marella and their 5-year-old son, Vihan.

The fundraiser page said that Kolla first developed an infection in early April which was earlier thought to be a regular flu due to cough. However, he went to the hospital after his conditions worsened, where doctors initially suspected severe pneumonia.

Further medical examination confirmed that he had Valley fever, a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides fungi found in soil parts of California and the southwestern United States, as per reports.

The infection reportedly spread in his lungs, and was later placed on a ventilator in the ICU. After around 30 days of treatment and respiratory support, he died on May 5, as per reports.

The fundraiser said that Kolla was the sole earning member of the family, and he aims to help cover hospital expenses, funeral rites in California and India, daily living costs, childcare, and future educational expenses for his son, the report states.