Valley Fever season is on the way
With Valley Fever season approaching, some Arizonans who suffer from chronic bouts with the fungal threat are concerned over what may be a particularly bad season.
Valley Fever, a longtime known concern here in the arid Southwest, is something many Arizona residents have had and gotten over. For some Phoenix locals, however, it’s not a one and done situation. From flu-like symptoms that last for months to even death in the most extreme cases. Those who suffer from the affliction chronically are especially at risk.
This year’s dry El Nino season will exacerbate the problem, Valley Fever thrives in dry and warm conditions. With spring being the peak season for cases, some residents have raised concerns online.
Understanding Valley Fever
Valley Fever is a fungal infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides, its most prevalent in the American Southwest but has recently begun expanding throughout the country in part thanks to climate change. Increasing temperatures and alterations in weather patterns contribute to its spread beyond traditional boundaries.
The fungal spores typically thrive in the desert soil of Arizona, when heavy wind or construction disrupts the soil, these spores become airborne. Inhaling airborne Coccidioides spores can cause symptoms ranging from mild flu-like illness to paralyzation and even death, something that baffled American Pioneers long ago who were traveling westbound.
Valley residents personal endeavors
In an interview with Northeast Valley News, lifelong Phoenix resident Emily Garcia shared her ongoing experience with Valley Fever. After an initial diagnosis, standard treatment with Fluconazole appeared effective. However, every six to twelve months, “like clockwork” symptoms resurface, impacting her health and daily life.
“I’ve consulted specialists, tried various medications, and made lifestyle adjustments, but it’s become such a thing in my life, I’m looking to move to Seattle with family actually,” Garcia said.
For many like Garcia, Valley Fever is such a hindrance in their lives they are having to leave their homes.
“It’s the fact that it feels like I’ve always had it, I can’t remember a time where I wasn’t congested—it takes a toll on both my physical and mental well-being,” Garcia said.
Online on the popular site Reddit, Valley residents active in local communities voiced their own personal struggles with Arizona’s greatest fungal enemy.
Residents complained about routinely suffering from the affliction “every single spring,”
The most effective way to treat Valley Fever is through Fluconazole, however, many of these residents who chronically suffer from the fever say that the chronic use of the drug can have unsettling side effects.
Complaints range from “hair thinning and lethargy” to “confusion and memory loss.” One resident noted that “all symptoms got better when the fluconazole was stopped.”
Even healthy people as young as 25 are at risk, one resident in their mid-20s noted that it took “over a year” for them to feel healthy or have full function in their lungs.
It’s important to seek medical help if one thinks they may be experiencing symptoms of Valley Fever.
