Latest news with #coccidioidomycosis
CBS News
24-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Loma Linda Children's Hospital doctors note spike in Valley Fever cases
Health officials say number of Valley Fever cases in children are rising in Inland Empire Health officials say number of Valley Fever cases in children are rising in Inland Empire Health officials say number of Valley Fever cases in children are rising in Inland Empire Health officials at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital say that they have noticed a spike in pediatric cases of Valley Fever in recent months. Valley Fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection that is caused by inhaling spores of the Coccidioides fungus, which lives in the soil. It is typically found in the soil of arid and semi-arid climates in both North and South America. Symptoms usually mimic those of the flu, doctors said. From January to April, a report from the California Department of Public Health shows more than 4,000 cases, and Loma Linda doctors say that youth cases are up from the average, with five to 10 cases per month since the start of the year. "While many people experience mild or no symptoms, it can cause serious respiratory illness and, in some cases, spread to other parts of the body," said a statement from hospital officials. The fungus can be spread when soil is disturbed and one breathes in dust. In severe cases, the infection can lead to chronic lung disease or disseminated disease, meaning it spreads to other parts of the body. Doctors say that it is not contagious, however, and cannot be spread between people or animals.
Medscape
23-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
2019 Valley Fever Cases Exceeded Official Numbers
TOPLINE: Coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever, constituted a considerable public health burden, with surveillance data capturing only a fraction of actual cases. In 2019, the true annual incidence was approximately 10-18 times higher than reported cases, totaling an estimated 273,000 cases and 900 coccidioidomycosis-related deaths nationwide. METHODOLOGY: Researchers assessed the annual burden of symptomatic coccidioidomycosis in the US using data reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, as inputs for their models. The analysis used multipliers from US public health surveillance that accounted for healthcare-seeking behavior, underdiagnosis, underreporting, and in-hospital mortality, based on literature review and expert opinion. Regional estimates were generated by categorizing states as high-endemic states (Arizona and California), low-endemic states (Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Washington), or states with unknown endemicity (all other states and Washington, DC). TAKEAWAY: An estimated 273,000 incident symptomatic coccidioidomycosis cases (95% credible interval [CrI], 206,000-360,000) occurred in 2019, with high-endemic states accounting for 125,000 cases (95% CrI, 94,000-165,000). The national incidence was calculated as 83 cases per 100,000 people (95% CrI, 63-110), with regional rates of 267 per 100,000 in high-endemic states, 102 per 100,000 in low-endemic states, and 44 per 100,000 in states with unknown endemicity. An estimated 23,000 coccidioidomycosis-associated hospitalizations (95% CrI, 18,000-28,000) occurred nationwide, with high-endemic states accounting for 12,000 cases (95% CrI, 10,000-14,000). Approximately 900 coccidioidomycosis-related deaths (95% CrI, 700-1100) were estimated nationwide in 2019. IN PRACTICE: 'Increased awareness nationwide is needed among clinicians and the general public, as patients with knowledge of coccidioidomycosis may be more likely to be diagnosed earlier than those unfamiliar with the disease,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Samantha L. Williams, MPH, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta. It was published online on June 3, 2025, in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: The NNDSS data, used as the primary model input, captured only cases from states where coccidioidomycosis was reportable, requiring approximations for nonreporting states. Several multiplier values relied on expert opinion and lacked validation due to limited data. This study also did not account for demographic, medical, or exposure-related risk factors or lifelong immunity. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any specific funding. Few authors reported receiving funds from the CDC. Additionally, three authors reported receiving financial aid from certain pharmaceutical organizations. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Valley Fever is ready to slam California again with record-breaking cases: Here's what you need to know
California may be facing another record year for Valley fever infections. The lung infections are caused by a fungus that grows in western soil, resulting in serious or long-term lung problems and potentially death if it is not treated and spreads to the brain. It results in thousands of cases every year in the U.S. and hundreds of deaths. The Golden State, where Valley Fever was first discovered, is consistently the state with the most infections. After a record year, early state data shows it's on track for what is looking to be another big one. There are already more than 3,100 confirmed cases across the state. That's more than there were at the same time last year and nearly double the amount in 2023. 'There is no question that the number of cases of coccidioidomycosis is enormously higher than before,' Dr. Royce Johnson, chief of the division of infectious disease and director of the Valley Fever Institute at Kern Medical in California, recently told NBC News. 'If you want to see me, right now you'd have to wait until July, and that goes for my colleagues, too.' The majority of this year's cases are in Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey and Fresno counties. A significant oil-producing area, wildfire-stricken Kern has often been the epicenter of outbreaks — but there are new areas of concern. Cases in the East Bay's Contra Costa County have more than tripled since 2023. Merced has also seen cases steadily increase and San Bernardino has seen 60 more than last year. 'It appears to be spreading out,' Gail Sondermeyer Cooksey, an epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health, told the network. How do exposures occur? Valley Fever, officially called coccidioidomycosis, was first discovered in Southern California's San Joaquin Valley. The lung infection is caused by the fungus Coccidioides that grows in soil in western parts of the U.S., with the majority of cases reported in California and Arizona. Valley Fever is caused by breathing in infectious spores, although some who are exposed are never infected. The spores can be kicked up during wind events, or through agricultural work and construction. While people can get Valley Fever at any time of the year, they are more likely to be infected during late summer and fall. Cases typically peak between September and November, due to a delay from infection to reporting. What's the concern? Symptoms can include fatigue, cough, fever, headache, shortness of breath, night sweats, muscle aches, joint pain and a red rash on the upper body or legs. As many as 10 percent of those who are infected will develop serious or long-term problems in their lungs. Another 1 percent will see it spread to their skin, bones, joints or brain. Those older than 60 are more likely to be infected, as well as people who have weakened immune systems, are pregnant, have diabetes and people who are Black or Filipino. People who work outdoors are also at a higher risk. The climate connection Researchers have found that cases of the disease spike in California during a shift from drought to heavy rainfall. California specifically has seen rapid shifts from extreme drought to long-lasting atmospheric river events in recent years. Wet winters can provide the ideal conditions for Valley Fever infections, as the summer dries out the land and breaks down the fungus into infectious spores. After flooding and mudslides in March, the state is in for a hot and dry summer, according to federal forecasters. 'As climate change alters the timing and intensity of precipitation in California, we see longer high-risk periods for Coccidioides exposure,' Simon Camponuri, a PhD candidate at U.C. Berkeley, said in a statement.
