Valley Fever should I be concerned?

[wasanah2]

I think Valley Fever is also officially under-reported. Not to be conspiracy-theorizing, but I hope everyone gets educated on it and makes his or her own decision. Some people never hear about it until they are ill. Now if you do get it, at least you knew about it and made your informed decision to live in the desert. But there's no way you MUST live in the desert to live this lifestyle. That's the beauty of it. You can choose to live anywhere of our states, some are warm in winter without desert living.

One thing I didn't know but grateful to learn was that dogs can get it too! And for Bob, two dogs got it! I have a little pup who has a frail constitution. I'd not put him through that.

 

[wasanah2]

A chart of the life cycle of Valley Fever and a chart that shows infection areas.

Click on thumbnails to get a bigger size pic.

 

[RollingOm]

Valley Fever spores live in the soil.  if you disturb the soil is when you are most likely to contract it.  you get it by breathing in the spores.  another way to contract it is during a dust storm.  however for the spores to become active they must get moist.  so in other words it must rain.  after a rain storm you are unlikely to have a dust storm so it's kinda rare that you get it from blowing dust.  however under the right conditions it does happen.

So can I get it while digging a six-inch hole to bury my poopoo?

 

[highdesertranger]

if you make dust and breath it. however I believe it's unlikely. I was going to be a smart ass but decided against it. highdesertranger

 

[Almost There]

From what I can understand, first it has to be present in the soil that you're digging in, 2nd the soil has to be moist - as in after a rain. The desert dirt is almost always drier than a bone. 3rd, you'd have to inhale the spores along with the dirt.

Sooo, if you're digging in wet dirt and inhaling it AND the spores are present, then you MIGHT get sick.

Dogs are more likely to get it because they generally like nosing around in the dirt and consequently have a higher chance of breathing in the spores.

 

[wasanah2]

So can I get it while digging a six-inch hole to bury my poopoo?

In a word, Yes.

Check the map. If you're in that area...yes, indeed.

 

[akrvbob]

You might die in a flash flood or from a lightning strike also.

The world is a very scary place! What to do??

 

[wasanah2]

You might die in a flash flood or from a lightning strike also.

The world is a very scary place! What to do??

There are flash floods in certain areas you can avoid.
You can avoid a lightning strike by staying indoors in a storm and refusing to carry around a lightning rod.
YOU CAN AVOID VALLEY FEVER by avoiding the areas in which you or your precious animals can get it.
See the infestation map.

 

[duckwonder]

I plan to be there, with my young, small dog who always has his nose in the ground.  For me, there won't be any hole in the ground.  Mine goes in a trash bag with a lid and goes out when I change camp or return to camp.  No reason I can't do that for my dog when I pick his up.  For longer walks, he's small, so I can put him in my backpack or leave him comfortably in the van.  If a dust storm is coming, I will leave and get out of its path or cover my and my dog's mouth and nose with medical particulate masks until I can safely leave the area.  It's my understanding most of the dust storms/haboobs happen in summer, and I'll be there for winter.  I will see a vet if my dog coughs or shows any symptoms.  I can try to see a doctor myself, but probably would rather be camping.  My dog and I have had flu shots, not as a preventative as there is no cure for Valley Fever, but as a measure to boost our immune systems.  Good to be aware of this serious issue and make the choice to be nearly anywhere in the southwest or to be elsewhere in the country.  Risk is everywhere, I'm glad we have the choice.

 

[drysailor]

With all of the reported cases of Valley Fever over the past 15 years and the new information about rising cases, I am concerned about my health if I decide to live in Arizona. My husband and I have lived in Las Vegas twice and Laughlin once and never had a known problem.
Dawn

Hi Dawn - definitely not an x-spurt here, but have lived in ground zero of Valley Fever Central for 30 years or so, and seem to read local news items at least  weekly about it. Both my kids have had it, but my wife & I haven't. I do a lot of yard work (lately have been using an N95 dust mask when mowing grass).
It's my impression that the biggest "outbreaks" occur after the driest summers, and / or after a spate of dust storms. In wetter summers, the incidence is markedly lower - guess it doesn't get airborne as easily. 
For about the past ten years, (after the kids grew out) we've used an evap cooler as much as possible at home - this results in a large, moister air flow thru the house, & we still don't have it, or at least don't show any symptoms.
As others have said, you're most at risk during dry windy conditions, or if disturbing dry soil, raising airborne dust. 
Guess you might want to keep your vents closed if driving through, although over the years doing field service I often had windows open (no A/C).
Think you would be far more at risk in Ca's big coastal cities from the Hep A epidemic, from homeless defecating in the streets & yards.

 

[akrvbob]

We are working cattle that were bred to fear to control us.

I'm not going to live my life in fear anymore, and I'm not going to be controlled anymore.

But, neither will I take an unreasonable risk, however, this is just barely a risk of any kind.

We all have to make our own choices.

 

[greeneyedggirl]

I do not mean to minimize it, but we really do have to keep things in perspective. Here is a quote about the risk of Valley Fever from this source:
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/valley-fever-redux-just-how-dangerous-is-this-fungus/:

there are still only about 100,000 cases a year, and two-thirds or so have symptoms so mild that the sufferer never seeks medical attention. Around 400 cases a year have extremely serious consequences, including pneumonia and fungal meningitis. The disease causes fewer than 100 deaths a year, including Steve Uecker. So, while it’s a big deal in Arizona, it’s a small problem in the scheme of things in the country as a whole.

Arizona has many millions of residents, and tens of millions of visitors every year. Out of all those people:

• 33,000 have symptoms bad enough to seek medical attention
• 400 have extremely serious consequences
• 100 die.

If you are one of those very few people, then this is a truly horrible thing. But statistically, it's just not any big deal. It's not even a blip on the Federal Governments radar, that's why you've never heard of it.

As many people die from West Nile Virus but I'm not too concerned about it. 35 people died from in it in California and Texas alone, but I'm not going to boycott them because of it. I may for other reasons, but not because they have a high incidence of West Nile Virus.

Of all the things that might get me, Valley fever is fairly low on my fear list.

Hiya Bob,

Rates of infection have exploded over the last 10 years to epidemic proportions according to the CDC,. People with certain health issues, including those on chronic steroid therapy (like I am) are much more likely to contract it.  It annoys me that I may not be able to go to effected areas - meaning I can't go the RTR either.  My only hope is that back in 2009 and 2010 I was exposed to it and my immune system already got rid of it.  So I have to see if my doctor can do a Valley Fever titer to see if I fought it off back then.

I know I can easily enjoy this lifestyle without ever going back to the dessert, but it also means I can't ever go to Sedona either and that will be really sad.

Thanks Bob for being such a vital and important part of this wonderful community you had so much with starting!

Sami

 

[greeneyedggirl]

Just wondering if an annual flu shot would do anything to help prevent this sort of thing.  Can't really control the conditions of the desert soil but boost my immune system, that I can do.

Sorry, no, Valley Fever is a fungal infection that cannot be easily or cheaply treated and can land you in intensive care, or worse.  A flu shot is an anti-viral, sadly there is no vaccination or good treatment for Valley Fever.

 

[Smitty716]

Valley fever is also known as Coccidiomycosis, this is the desease I got back in 1987 . It is a fungal desease and is treated with Vfend or better known as ( Voraconazol) . If the Doctors catch it quick a couple months of meds is all that is needed . Mine was not caught quick, when my lung collapsed they miss diagnosed it . Thinking I had gotten gassed with h2s a gas that comes out of the ground with crude oil. The Doctors didn’t do a biopsy. Eveytime after that when I got an exray they said it was scar tissue. 25 yrs later I was properly diagnosed after my lungs collapsed and I almost died . That was in 2007 . I was left with a flat lung and a hole in my side that I packed with kerlix and dakins solution. Finally in November of 2017 I found someone that would remove the bad lung. So I know first hand about Valley fever. I am about to be cleared finally by my surgeon and will see you all at RTR. If you have any questions about Valley fever just ask me .

 

[MrNoodly]

...it's considered to be a community acquired disease...so the more people in an area, the greater the chance of contracting it.

This is why living in the boonies is healthier. I used to get the flu or whatever else was going around nearly every year when I lived in cities and worked in a building. I caught far less stuff during the years I worked from home. The past five years there have been only three or four days when I felt like I was coming down with something, but it never developed into anything. People make us sick -- particularly people with school-age kids.

 

[RoamerRV428]

This is why living in the boonies is healthier. I used to get the flu or whatever else was going around nearly every year when I lived in cities and worked in a building. I caught far less stuff during the years I worked from home. The past five years there have been only three or four days when I felt like I was coming down with something, but it never developed into anything. People make us sick -- particularly people with school-age kids.

so agree.  hubby and I were perfect, EVEN working our 'real' jobs while we worked a big farming biz also.
Thing is the minute I had a kid, omg.  We started getting 'it all' she brought home.  She is in 8th and we are still getting crap from school and it is annoying as heck.  Breeding ground of crud.  No doubt about that.  When it boils down to it all, people are always the problem

 

[Smitty716]

If you do you research it’s a soil fungus , common in the south west and Mexico . Most people get over it in a week or two. . Those with compromised immune systems may need biopsy’s, exray’s. And an anti fungal antibiotic. I was told I would have to take the anti fungal meds the rest of my life . I have some gruesome pictures of the after effects of it not being treated because I went threw it. And am still recovering.