33 Coccidioidomycosis
https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/coccidioidomycosis/index.html
33.1 Epidemiologic Review
33.1.1 Disease Information
Overview: Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley Fever, is an infection caused by the Coccidioides fungus. This fungus is found in the soil, mainly in the southwestern United States.
Symptoms: Common symptoms include chest pain, cough, headache, fever, muscle pain, joint pain and rash.
Transmission: Coccidioides spores are transmitted through dust-producing activities in areas where soil is contaminated. Exposure occurs when the spores are inhaled. The disease is not spread person-to-person.
Treatment: Treatment consists of oral antifungals, but mild cases can resolve without treatment.
Prevention If you live an endemic area, decrease the amount of dust in your environment. This will not eliminate the Coccidioides spores, but it can reduce the transmission.
33.1.2 Demographics
Rates for <1, 1-4, 5-17, and 18-29 years of age are not displayed due low case counts.
| Race | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | <5 cases |
| Asian | <5 cases |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 22.1 |
| Other Race | <5 cases |
| White | 2.5 |
| Black or African American | <5 cases |
| Two or More Races | <5 cases |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people experienced a far higher rate of Coccidioidomycosis than other populations.
Rates for American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Two or More Races, and Unknown Race are not displayed due low case counts.
| Ethnicity | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.5 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 2.4 |
| Unknown | <5 cases |
Rates for Unknown Ethnicity are not displayed due to low case counts.
33.1.4 Monthly and Historical Comparisons
2022 was the second-highest year in the last five years.
Data for Utah and the CDC were retrieved from the CDC’s Notifiable Infectious Disease Data Tables and were available up until 2020.
33.2 Key Things to Know
- Cases reported travel to endemic states such as California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.
- Commonly reported symptoms among cases include chest pain, cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache and weight loss.
- Common comorbidities among cases include heart disease, diabetes, and a previous organ transplant, with transplants being the most frequent.
- 13% of cases documented receiving an oral fungal treatment.
- 8% of cases had a prior history of infection.
- 44.5% of cases had their infection typed as Coccidioides immitis.