Cases of valley fever may increase in 2025

Due to raging summer temperatures, persistent drought and increased construction, valley fever cases increased in 2024. The new year is expected to bring more cases.

For years, scientists have been working on vaccines to prevent the airborne disease and to develop treatments to help victims survive. But in the meantime, we also need to take precautions to stay healthy.

Valley fever is caused by inhaling spores of coccidioids, a fungal pathogen that thrives in drier and dustier areas. The spores are released and inhaled when dry soil is disturbed by blowing winds, agricultural activities and construction.

Although valley fever cases have been reported throughout the Southwest, Kern County has long been considered a hot spot. Last year, Kern accounted for more than a third of the cases reported statewide. About 80 Californians die from it each year.

Several other counties that reported valley fever spikes last year include Los Angeles, Riverside, Fresno, Kings, Merced, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Stanislaus.

Health officials have concluded the increase in California cases and the geographic spread of the disease is caused by a combination of factors, including alternating wet winters and severe summer droughts, and increased construction of residential, commercial and energy projects on previously undisturbed land.

Valley fever is also widespread in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Texas and parts of Mexico, Central and South America.

In Arizona, health officials reported valley fever cases last year were at their highest number in more than a decade. Reportedly, 10,990 Arizonans tested positive and 74 died from the disease.

In November, Arizona health officials conducted a statewide campaign to focus public attention on coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever.

They noted that of those infected with valley fever, an estimated 40% will develop symptoms similar to the flu or pneumonia. However, severe forms of this disease can lead to the spread of spores to other parts of the body outside the lungs. Some individuals are considered to be at high risk for serious illness, including those with diabetes, pregnant women, or those with a weakened immune system.

Whether you live in or travel through a valley fever hot spot, you are at risk of contracting valley fever.

Consider the breakout at the Lightning in a Bottle music festival at the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area in May. Five people who participated were diagnosed with valley fever. Three of the five people were hospitalized. Health officials warned that there could be more undiagnosed cases.

Delayed treatment can be fatal, allowing the fungus to spread and grow in the lungs and occasionally the brain.

The early stages of valley fever can mimic the onset of COVID-19 or the flu. Doctors unfamiliar with the disease may misdiagnose patients or fail to consider valley fever.

Valley fever symptoms include fatigue, cough, chest pain, fever, rash, headache, joint pain and night sweats. About 5% of patients develop lung nodules, and another 5% develop lung cavities that can rupture, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing.

About 1% to 2% of cases metastasize and spread to the skin, bones, or joints. Coccidioidal meningitis is the most serious complication which, if left untreated, is fatal.

When you seek medical care, your doctor will likely consider COVID-19 and other conditions first. If they are ruled out, a blood test can check for antibodies to the fungus that causes valley fever, which is not contagious.

Consider yourself warned: Valley fever could be a greater risk in 2025. What can you do?

• Avoid outdoor activities when the wind blows. Public information systems should be developed to inform residents and visitors when the threat level is high.

• Know the symptoms of valley fever. Be your own lawyer. Require your healthcare provider to take the illness into account when assessing your complaint. Determine if he or she clearly understands the symptoms and treatment, and perform necessary tests.

• When you travel or seek medical attention out of the area, you must inform the health personnel that you live in a valley fever hotspot. Encourage them to test for the disease. Take special precautions if you are going to undergo a procedure that will suppress your immune system.

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