Valley fever is an infection spread by a fungus that grows in the top few inches of soil in parts of the American West. It is transmitted when soil is disturbed and the fungal spores become airborne. People and animals — like dogs, cats, sheep, and cattle — become sick by inhaling the spores. Valley fever cannot be passed from person to person.
The disease primarily affects the lungs, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. While most people will have mild or even no symptoms, some people become very sick and require hospitalization.
The epicenter of the disease is the U.S. Southwest, including Arizona and Southern California, but the fungus, called Coccidioides, is found as far north as Washington state and south into Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. The fungus has recently been found in other parts of the Western U.S., which may be due in part to climate change producing environmental conditions that fuel its growth.
Who’s most at risk?Read more
