Federal health team studies increase in valley fever cases in the Northwest Vall

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Federal health team studies increase in valley fever cases in the

Northwest Valleuy

by Cecilia Chan - Dec. 17, 2008 09:50 AM

Arizona Republic - Phoenix,AZ,USA

http://www.azcentral.com/community/westvalley/articles/2008/12/17/200

81217gl-nwvfever1217.html

A team of federal epidemiologists are researching why the Northwest

Valley has the highest rate of valley fever cases in the country.

Cases of the fungal infection are highest in Sun City, Sun City West

and Surprise, according to a Maricopa County health study report.

The Sun Cities showed 370 cases per 100,000 population and Surprise

showed 327 cases per 100,000 population for 2006, much higher than

the 193 cases in Surprise in 2005.

" We in Arizona first of all have 60 percent of all the reported

valley fever cases in the U.S., " said Dr. Sunenshine, deputy

epidemiologist for the Arizona Department of Health Services. " We

are one of a few states that had the resources to do an intensive

investigation into valley fever, the risk factors, who is likely to

get it and how to avoid it. "

The respiratory disease's symptoms include fever, chest pain and

coughing and could be fatal in some cases. The fungus that causes

valley fever grows in desert soil and becomes airborne when the

earth is disturbed.

A team of three epidemiologists and a veterinary student from the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention visited the Valley in

November and collected laboratory and hospital data and leftover

blood from a blood bank and a commercial laboratory for testing,

Sunenshine said. Sunenshine said the disease is an epidemic and

that " we still think we get only 8 percent to 10 percent of all the

actual disease that is out there. "

Sunenshine said the study will help determine whether the rise in

valley fever is due to the way northwest Valley doctors and

laboratories report the disease, how often people see the doctor or

whether the increase in the disease is real.

A CDC spokeswoman referred all inquiries regarding the study to the

state of Arizona, which requested the help from the agency.

Sun City West resident Pat White, who has an extreme case of valley

fever that has bedridden her and causes her joints and muscles to

ache continuously, applauded the study. White, 63, worked at

Surprise City Hall until the illness forced her to take disability

leave three years ago.

" We are just now starting to scratch the tip of the iceberg, " said

White, who has formed a survivors' group that counts 70 members and

lectures on valley fever. " It's such a problem here. I've lost three

people in my support group, victims of valley fever. I've lost them

to death, and it hurts. "

Sunenshine said it would take CDC at least six months to test more

than 1,500 samples of blood. Only the blood of individuals 65 years

old and older will be tested.

" The reason for that is because 80 percent of the population of Sun

City and Sun City West is over 65, " she said. " And it's not fair to

compare those communities to Maricopa County as a whole because the

age is so different. "

She said Surprise, although it is not a retirement community, still

boasts a higher number of retirees 65 and older than the rest of the

county.

The CDC will " look at the numbers that are positive in those areas

and compare it to the rest of Maricopa County to see if the actual

burden of the disease is higher, " Sunenshine said. " It's the most

objective way of testing. "

White's only disappointment with the CDC study is that it's not

looking at the 29 sand and gravel operations that are mining the

Agua Fria riverbed in the northwest Valley.

" We think positively they are part of the cause of valley fever and

other respiratory problems we are having, " said White, who lives a

half mile from a mining operation.

Wehbe, chairman of the Maricopa County Mining District

Recommendation Committee, said he is not ready to point a finger of

blame.

" I'm thrilled to death that somebody is doing something, and it's

costing us nothing, " Wehbe said. Wehbe and four other citizen

members of the committee outvoted industry members in calling for

the county to commission a study to look at causes of respiratory

illnesses, including valley fever, in the northwest Valley.

Sunenshine credited the committee for helping raise public awareness

of valley fever.

" It has helped us get the resources we needed to investigate valley

fever, " she said.

Sunenshine said the state is in talks with the National Institute

for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to investigate for any

correlations between mining and valley fever.

Sunenshine said the fungus is 2 to 8 inches deep in the soil's

surface and mining goes 60 to 100 feet. The valley fever spores are

disturbed the first time the soil's surface is breached " and after

that there should not be an increased risk. "

" However, we can't say definitely there is no link and due to public

concern we are talking NIOSH to see if they can assist in an

investigation, " she said.