The lung-attacking fungal disease has increased significantly in the US west coast, including Arizona and Southern California, with some attributing it to climate change.
Last August the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) warned of potential increased risk of Valley Fever statewide after winter’s heavy rains and summer’s increasingly hot temperatures.
Valley Fever spores are activated through a confluence of extreme dry and extreme wet weather. The fungus grows and thrives in wet conditions, then dries out into spores and can become airborne along with dust particles
Airborne spores from Valley Fever can impact the lungs, leading to symptoms like cough, fever, chest discomfort, night sweats, and fatigue.
Valley Fever is typically diagnosed through blood tests, imaging studies (such as X-rays or CT scans), and sometimes through a sputum culture or biopsy.