Canadians with breathing problems after visiting Arizona and fungal infection in lung

[Guest guest]

Teri,

This is really not a new phenomena. As more and more developments have

encroached on the desert, there has been a rise in fungal lung infections

called Coccidioidomycosis or " Valley Fever. " Valley Fever is primarily a

disease of the lungs that is common in the southwestern United States and

northwestern Mexico. It is caused by the fungus Coccidioides immitis, which

grows in soils in areas of low rainfall, high summer temperatures, and

moderate winter temperatures. These fungal spores become airborne when the

soil is disturbed by winds, construction, farming and other activities. In

susceptible people and animals, infection occurs when a spore is inhaled.

Within the lung, the spore changes into a larger, multicellular structure

called a spherule. The spherule grows and bursts, releasing endospores which

develop into spherules. Valley Fever symptoms generally occur within three

weeks of exposure. Valley Fever is not a " contagious " disease, meaning it is

not passed from person to person. Second infections are rare.

There is a good website on this problem here http://vfce.arl.arizona.edu/

One problem is when people leave the area and return home (like Canadians)

where doctors are not informed and used to diagnosing and treating these

type fungal infections routinely.

What worries me a great deal is not Valley Fever, but the proliferation of

all these others molds like stachybotrys, aspergillus and

penicillium in areas like Las Vegas and Nye County. We know a lot about

the growing mold problem in homes from the diligent work of homeowner groups

like HADD and HOBB. They have stayed on top of issues like shoddy

construction practices, forced mediation and the lack of inspections that

ferret out mold. We still don't know why these molds are proliferating in

the desert and if places like Fallon with a " cancer cluster " could really be

massive fungal infections. Obviously, the weather has been strange and

growing stranger but I fear what we " don't know " and are not looking into

may well bite us on our backsides before long.