While outbreaks of “Valley fever” are rare, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of the fungal illness are growing in certain areas.
In California, 6,079 cases were reported as of Oct. 31, 2022 and last year they ticked up to 6,134 by Oct. 31. As of the same date this year, 9,826 Valley Fever cases were reported in the state.
“Valley fever cases tripled from 2014–2018, and from 2018–2022, between 7,000 and 9,000 cases were reported each year,” according to the California Department of Public Health.
Coccidioidomycosis, the fungus that causes Valley fever, is generally found in southwestern U.S., parts of Washington, Mexico, and Central America, per the CDC. In 2013, Washington was added to the list after residents there began developing Valley fever without travelling to areas where the fungus was known to be present.
When people inhale Coccidioides fungal spores, they can become infected. Common symptoms include cough, fatigue, chest pain, fever, rash, headache, joint aches and night sweats. A specific laboratory test is required to diagnose Valley fever, according to The University of Arizona Health Sciences. In severe cases, the illness can lead to death.
At the University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson campus, the Valley Fever Center for Excellence focuses on investigating the illness. According to the center, two-thirds of all U.S. Valley fever infections are contracted in Arizona, this week, the state is observing its 22nd annual Valley Fever Awareness Week.
Arizona is home to a largely arid, desert climate. Coccidioides spores grow in that type of soil, explained the Arizona Department of Health Services. When the fungus gets heated, it can break apart and get picked up by the wind. Once in the air, it can be dangerous to people. In Arizona alone, 10,099 people tested positive for the illness last year and 74 people died from it.
Around 40% of people who get Valley fever get flu or pneumonia-like symptoms. Severe cases can include dissemination to other parts of the body outside of the lungs. People with diabetes, pregnant people, or those with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for developing severe cases.
It is difficult to prevent inhalation of the spores, but most Valley fever infections go away without treatment. For severe infections, three to six months of oral antifungal medication like fluconazole may be prescribed.
Earlier this month, the Valley Fever Center for Excellence received Innovator of the Year Academia Award from the Arizona Technology Council in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority for its work on a Valley fever vaccine.
Dr. Marc Orbach’s lab developed this vaccine that prevents Valley fever in dogs. It is now in the process of being commercialized as a veterinary product, and a National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases contract has also been extended to Anivive Lifesciences toward developing a human version of the vaccine.
“Dr. Orbach was studying how the Valley fever fungus causes disease. He identified a gene that is essential for the fungus to do this,” explained John Galgiani founder and director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence. “By deleting the gene, Dr. Orbach created a mutant that Dr. [Lisa] Shubitz showed still produced protective immunity without causing disease. Just like with cancer research, a precise understanding of the biology can result in medical progress to help people and, in this case, dogs also.”