In the past, researchers believed that Valley Fever, a fungal disease caused by coccidioides fungus, was mostly found in the southwestern United States, as well as areas in Mexico and South America. However, shares Medical XPress, more recent research suggests that this fungal infection could be more prevalent in Utah than researchers once believed. By better understanding where this infection is detected, physicians and researchers can better prepare on what trends might emerge and how to best protect citizens. Take a look at the full study findings published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The Research

Within this particular study, researchers sought to understand the prevalence of Valley Fever within Utah. Although the infection had been detected in the state as far back as 1957, the rate of infections has not been widely tracked or studied. In fact, while there was a large outbreak in 2001, the research surrounding Valley Fever in Utah is minimal at best. Thus, researchers set out on this comprehensive research project, developing the strongest dataset in over 50 years. Findings include:

• Over a 6-year period (2009 to 2015), researchers detected 364 separate Valley Fever diagnoses. To understand what was driving these cases, researchers also evaluated climate change, how much construction was occurring, temperature shifts, population changes, age, race, and more.
• Southwestern Utah saw the highest risk of Valley Fever infection, as well as the highest growth rate. As this part of the state encompasses areas like Zion National Park, more research is needed. These recreational environments bring in many visitors and hikers each year. As spores can be kicked up when dust and soil are moved, this influx of hikers and campers could spur a higher infectious prevalence.
• Washington County, Utah had the highest level of infections within the state: 17 cases per every 100,000 people.
• Although Southwestern Utah has the highest current prevalence, the researchers predicted that northeastern Utah could be at risk of an infectious emergence.

Valley Fever

So what exactly is Valley Fever? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is:

Coccidioides infection in the lungs, but the infection can spread to other parts of the body in severe cases (this is called “disseminated coccidioidomycosis”). People can get Valley fever by breathing in the microscopic fungal spores in the air.

But don’t worry – just because you’re exposed to these spores doesn’t mean you’ll get sick. In fact, most people who are exposed don’t end up becoming infected. However, those who are older (aged 60+), Black, Filipino, pregnant, or immunocompromised are at a higher risk of developing severe symptoms. Most patients recover without an issue within a few weeks or months. However, in severe cases, patients often require antifungal treatment. Symptoms appear within 1-3 weeks following exposure, and include:

• Fatigue
• Fever and night sweats
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Headache
• Muscle and joint pain
• Rash (typically on the upper body or legs)

In severe cases, which occur in 5-10% of patients, complications include long-term pulmonary issues. More so, in a smaller subset of 1% of patients, the central nervous system (CNS), skin, bones, and joints become affected, leading to other health issues. Because the infection can present on X-rays as nodules, researchers should consider testing for both cancer and Valley fever to account for possible outcomes.