Weather conditions cause Valley fever fears to increase in Northern California
SACRAMENTO — Fears over Valley fever are ramping up as the California Department of Public Health warns our historically wet winter, followed by dry and dusty conditions could be the perfect storm for increased risk of contracting the virus.
Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is a disease caused by a fungus that grows in the soil and dirt. Hotbed areas are typically the Central Valley, but Dr. Stuart Cohen, the co-director for the Center for Valley Fever, said an upward trend in temperatures in recent years is contributing to a rise in Sacramento and the Northern California region.
"The typical hot spots for the state of California are somewhere between Fresno and Bakersfield," Dr. Cohen said. "But the area we considered endemic, meaning the fungus can live in the soil, continues to move further north as the climate changes and gets a little bit warmer."
Dr. Cohen said San Joaquin County down to Stockton and Tracy could be among the higher-risk areas. Rob Purdie, a survivor living with complications from Valley fever, urges people in Northern California to take the risks seriously.
"You need to understand Valley fever cases are increasing, and the increase isn't in Kern County," Purdie said. "It's in the surrounding counties in the Central Valley all the way up to Sacramento, and the outcomes can be devastating in more ways than just medically or physically."
It's not just people who are at risk. Animals can also get sick when they breathe in dust particles that contain fungus linked to Valley fever. The disease infects the lungs and can cause respiratory complications including persistent cough, headache, fever, chest pain, and fatigue.
If you have symptoms that last longer than 10 days, experts say it's a good idea to get medical treatment and specifically ask for a Valley fever test. While most cases will go away on their own, those with underlying health conditions like diabetes or long-haul COVID-19 symptoms are at the highest risk of complications.
"In a small percentage of patients, it can disseminate throughout the body and most severe is when it causes meningitis," Dr. Cohen said.
That's exactly what happened to Purdie, who at age 38 was in and out of the hospital with doctors misdiagnosing the disease as chronic headaches. He has now taken his experience living with Valley fever and is helping others learn the symptoms and warning signs while serving as the patient program development coordinator for the Valley Fever Foundation.
"Nothing cures Valley fever. The goal is to control Valley fever and your body subdues it and it can go dormant," Purdie said. "It's important to be your own advocate, asking to be tested and maybe feel a little silly because it turned out to be something else. I would much rather ask to be tested and maybe feel silly because it turned out to be something else than watch someone I've known, and they have damage that can't be undone."
Avoiding the outdoors on dry and particularly windy days is the best way to avoid exposure. Tightly fitted N-95 masks may help add a layer of protection.