Editorial

Study Reveals Why Potential Deadly Fungus Is Exploding Throughout US State

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(Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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Scientists revealed Tuesday how, and likely why, a dangerous airborne fungus is spreading throughout California.

Most people who contract Valley fever develop flu-like symptoms, but for others, it can create serious and potentially life-threatening complications, according to a study published in The Lancet’s Regional Health journal. The fungal disease is emerging throughout the western United States, particularly in California where it has increased “dramatically” over the last twenty years, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This increase is thanks to the spread of heat-resistant Coccidioides spores, according to the study.

Most of those cases occur between September to November, with strange seasonal differences occurring by year and by county. “Most seasonal infectious diseases show a peak in cases every year, so we were surprised to see that there were certain years during which few or no counties had a seasonal peak in Valley fever cases,” lead author Professor Alexandra Heaney told EurekAlert. “This made us wonder what was driving these differences in seasonality between years, and based on the timing we observed, we hypothesized that drought might be playing a role.”

The disease mirrors other respiratory infections, including COVID-19, and is thought to be frequently misdiagnosed by healthcare professionals. The fungal spores can wreak havoc on the respiratory system and spread throughout the body, including the skin, bones and brain, particularly when left untreated, according to EurekAlert.

“Knowing when the Valley fever season starts and how intense it will be can help health care practitioners know when they should be on high alert for new cases,” corresponding author Professor Justin Remais told EurekAlert. (RELATED: Fungal Outbreak Kills One, Hundreds More Infected At US-Based Paper Mill)

Rates of Valley fever have erupted over the last decades. Between 2014 to 2018, diagnoses of the disease tripled, according to the California Department of Public Health. This number tripled again from 2018 to 2022. Residents are told to protect themselves against the spread by reducing time outdoors when it is dry and dusty outside, EurekAlert stated.

Wow, what does that advice remind you of?