Effects of Climatic Variability and Land Use on American Drylands

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Valley Fever - Determination of Geological/Ecological Occurrence Models for Coccidioides Immitis

Valley fever (Coccidioidomycosis) is an infection caused by inhalation of the spores (arthroconidia) of a soil-inhabiting fungus, Coccidioides Immitis. The disease is a public health issue of great importance in the deserts of the southwestern U.S. as a result of rapid population growth, increased outdoor recreational activities, and placement of military personnel for active training. These demographic changes place an increasingly large, previously unexposed population within endemic areas. These conditions, coupled with increasing numbers of individuals with suppressed immune systems, are a National concern.

If an area can be mapped for occurrences of C. immitis, investigators will begin examining this area for potential dust emissions and transport pathways that might affect human populations.

For more information, select from the following topics:

• Determining geological/ecological occurrence models for Coccidioides Immitis
• Evaluating the potential of dust emission from growth sites of Coccidioides Immitis

The studies described here were conducted by the American Drylands Project until 2007 and are maintained for archival purposes.