In 2024, Arizona experienced the most cases of valley fever in over a decade

On By Littum

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) – Last year saw the highest number of people diagnosed with Valley fever in Arizona since 2011, according to Arizona Department of Health Services.

Living here in the desert automatically puts us at risk for Valley fever. Our friends and family who live outside of the Southwest may not even have heard of it.

Dr. John Galgiani is professor of internal medicine and director of Valley Fever Center of Excellence at the University of Arizona. He has dedicated much of his career to studying Valley fever. He says that two-thirds of the cases of Valley fever in the United States are contracted here in Arizona – and it’s because of our soil.

“If you inhale a spore that comes out of the dirt, you become infected,” said Dr. Galigiani.

The latest data from ADHS shows 14,640 cases in our state last year. Pima County had 1,564 cases, while Maricopa County had the majority of cases, 10,686.

Dr. However, Galigiani says the number of cases is underreported.

“Many of the doctors who take care of patients here in Arizona actually learn their medicine in other places where this disease is not very common.”

Both the Valley Fever Center for Excellence and the Pima County Health Department are calling for more testing for it.

Pima County Health Department Epidemiology Division Manager Dr. Lindsay Kohler says our activities can have an impact on the number of cases each year, but says the weather also plays a big role in transmitting it.

“We had a much drier, warmer season, and that’s what it thrives in, and so there could be more fungus in the environment,” said Dr. Kohler.

Some typical symptoms include fever, cough and fatigue.

The good news is that yeast infections cannot be passed from one person to another.

While we may not be able to change where we live, work and go to school, there are a few things you can do to prevent the disease.

“If you know you’re going to be outside working in native soil, you can always wear a mask or respirator, and also if you see on the news that it’s going to be a really windy day or that a haboob is coming, stay inside, keep your doors closed, windows closed and stuff when it’s really windy outside.”