Many people have signed contracts Valley fever following an outdoor music festival near Bakersfield, California, according to a statement from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) is a lung infection caused by breathing in a soil-borne fungus. Found in California and parts of the southwestern US
So far, five patients who attended the outdoor music festival, Lightning in a Bottle, have been diagnosed with the infection. Three of them have been hospitalized, CDPH reported.
More than 20,000 people attended the festival held from May 22 to May 27 at Buena Vista Lake.
is likely to Additional cases to emerge among festival-goers, health officials said.
For those who attended the festival or visited Kern County and are experiencing symptoms, CDPH recommends they see a doctor and ask about testing. for infection.
“While this incident occurred two months ago and mild cases of valley fever may have already resolved, other patients with more chronic or severe disease may still be symptomatic or undiagnosed,” the CDPH said.
Tom Langdon Hill, director of training at the CCHS Foundation in Tucson, Arizona, which provides free training on the medical needs of the homeless, said it’s “very difficult” to predict when and where someone might be exposed to Valley Fever.
“However, an outbreak linked to an outdoor music festival, Lightning in a Bottle, which occurred in an area already known as a Valley Fever hotspot, resulted in 34 deaths in 2022 alone,” Hill told Fox News Digital.
“While exposure to dust may be the cause of those outbreaks, a just-published study points to a forest fire as another possible source of spread of Valley Fever.”
Symptoms and transmission
Most people exposed to the fungus do not get sick, but about 40% of people will develop respiratory symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Symptoms usually include cough, fatigue, fever, shortness of breath, and chest pain. They usually start within one to three weeks of infection.
From 2018 to 2022, 7,000 to 9,000 cases of Valley Fever were reported in California each year.
About 5% to 10% of people with valley fever will develop complications, which may include: Severe lung problemsCDC said.
For about 1% of people, disseminated disease may occur, which occurs when the infection spreads to other parts of the body, such as the skin, joints, bones, or brain.
The CDC said the infection does not spread from person to person or between people and animals.
Valley fever is on the rise in California, the health department has noted.
Cases tripled between 2014 and 2018. From 2018 to 2022, the state reported 7,000 to 9,000 cases per year.
It is most common in the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast areas.
Certain areas with high dust exposure present a greater risk. That includes places where construction, archeology, agriculture or military training takes place, according to the CDC.
In 2019, a study by Morgan Gorris—published in GeoHealth, a journal focused on environmental and health science research—suggested that Climate change May trigger expansion of valley fever in northwestern states including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
California Dr. “I was skeptical at first,” said Thompson. “But I’ve heard recently about new cases coming up in Nebraska and Missouri as well, so I think that’s in the realm of possibility.”
Valley fever cases are expected to occur in northern Utah and eastern Colorado by 2035, according to the study. Goris, the study’s author, also predicts that the disease will become endemic in Nebraska, southeastern Montana, southern Idaho, and South Dakota by 2065, and could reach northern Montana and North Dakota by 2095.
Other research has linked increased cases of valley fever to the increase Dust storms. Daniel Q., a scientist and professor at George Mason University in Virginia. Another recent GeoHealth study by Tong found that dust storms in the Southwest increased by 240% between the 1990s and 2000s, followed by an 800% increase in cases of valley fever. 2001 and 2011.
Treatment and prevention
A blood test sent to a lab can confirm a current or previous infection with valley fever, and a chest X-ray or CT scan can detect a case of pneumonia, according to the CDC.
Antifungal drugs such as fluconazole and itraconazole are commonly used to treat valley fever.
While there is no vaccine yet for valley fever, Three vaccines Currently in development, which has been successfully tested with dogs.
The CDC notes that certain groups are more susceptible.
This includes people 60 years and older; Those with weakened immune systems as a result of certain diseases or medical conditions; pregnant women; People with diabetes; And people who are black or Filipino.
For high-risk groups, doctors recommend avoiding construction sites or areas where soil is frequently stirred into the air.
People can also wear it N95 Respirator, A type of high-quality mask to reduce exposure in dusty areas.
Early diagnosis and treatment are important, advise doctors.
Fox News Digital reached out to CDPH and the organizers of the music festival for comment.
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