Valley fever

[Donedirtcheap]

Maybe this is common knowledge with people who frequent the mentioned areas but I had never heard of it.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/01/20/140120fa_fact_goodyear?currentPage=all

 

[AltTransBikes]

Cadillac Desert.

 

[Donedirtcheap]

Cadillac Desert.

Wow, that's interesting. I'll read more about it. Thanks

 

[rvwandering]

There's something that goes around Quartzsite called the Quartzsite Crud. It's like a combination of a cold and the flu, knocks you down for a week or two, coughing and listless. Both Tony and I got it last year. We didn't go to the doctor, just rode it out with the help of our some of the wonderful forum members who were boondocking with us. I've been wondering if it's a mild form ( if that's possible ) of valley fever. We have friends who catch it almost every time they go to Quartzsite.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

T & K, I think its the alkali salts and other stuff in the blowing dust.
Margie got sick for a few days when she first got to Tucson a few years ago.
Especially on windy days, I recommend a breathing mask or bandana to help filter out some of the dust.

I'm not on oxygen anymore (just inhalers) and eventho (being a desert rat) I'm used to the gunk in the air, there's still some days I can hardly breath down here. Thank goodness I have Margie to help me with most of the simple things that I don't have the breath for.

 

[akrvbob]

Those of you who go to or would like to go to the Slabs in SoCal, you should be aware it is in the Imperial Valley and the entire valley has some of the worst air in the country. They are constantly being fined by the EPA for violating Federal air standards. And Slab City is even worse than most of the Valley. I had a friend with breathing problems go there and end up in the hospital with pneumonia.

I have many friends with breathing issues and I'm unaware of any of them having problems with the air in Qzt. Although I had one friend who couldn't camp with us because we were too close to the freeway. She just had to move further away from the freeway.
Bob

 

[WheelEstate USA]

I have many friends with breathing issues and I'm unaware of any of them having problems with the air in Qzt.
Bob

The air quality is pretty good overall....away from the main roads. Its the salts in the dust, as with most desert areas that effect some folks. After living on an oxygen tank for 1.5 yrs and having severe COPD (no campfires for me), Windy days, especially, cause havoc on my lungs. Not only in Q, but about anywhere in the desert. I don't do high altitudes well either.

Oh well, Az is home and I love it as much as I loved the mountains we traveled thru in the NW. Shoot, lots of us are running on a well used frame, LOL, so, I'm dern sure not gonna complain about having to slow down a little as long as I'm doing fun things.

BTW....sure did enjoy our afternoon at RTR. Glad I had some Tums handy when I got back....dern good chili tho

 

[AltTransBikes]

Sierra snow pack



http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/comment.html?entrynum=233

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

My 2 cents worth, there is something wherever you go. This area (Ohio) has histoplasmosis. A lot of people have been exposed to it and don't know what made them sick http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histoplasmosis

When we travel to new areas, we get new exposures so yes, be aware.
No, I had never heard of valley fever or the Quartzite crud.
Important info to have in our arsenal of what ails you and where.

 

[caseyc]

I read that whole long article. It was one of the scariest health reports I'd ever read. A needle through the base of the skull for treatment?!? Geez!! Also, do NOT buy any cars from Arizona, per the last paragraph of that article. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'd rather err on the cautious side.

It was a coincidence that I recently drove through Bakersfield last week on my way back home from Quartzsite. The article makes reference to Bakersfield as a potential source of that problem. Good thing I didn't stop anywhere in Bakersfield to breath the air, just drove right on by through the night.

By the way, I keep a stash of N100 rated face masks in my van as part of my SHTF supplies. N100 rating is the highest it gets. Hopefully, I'll never need it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001393KHM/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[akrvbob]

I agree that this thread is tremendously helpful! I know many vandwellers have some serious breathing issues so this kind of information is very important to them.

Keep it coming!
Bob

 

[BC Guy]

Cryptococcus gattii has been present on Vancouver Island for years and has recently been detected in the lower mainland of B.C.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptococcus_gattii
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile98.stm

 

[Blue]

Jesus...

San Luis Obispo is one of my stomping grounds, I looked up Cal Coast News (the best news source for anything happening around central coast california) and found like 40 articles about it. 125 cases in SLO in 2011, 225 in 2012, 163 in 2013, and I have friends who have gotten training to go to work for First Solar at the plant out in the valley where most of these cases are coming from... they work there now I think. My sister works at a place where they are transfering people with the fungus. I immediately emailed her and a few others after reading this...

short of wearing one of those NV100 masks, not sure what can be done, but thanks for the info.