On the Lookout for Valley Fever
Coccidioides immitis arthroconidia (CDC/ Dr. Hardin/Wiki Commons)
Valley Fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by a fungus endemic to the dry Southwest region of the United Stated. Although the causative agent, Coccidioides immitis, it is known to exist in the Chihuahua Desert region there is a large discrepancy between the number of cases reported in Arizona and neighboring New Mexico.
Officials in New Mexico are concerned that the number of cases reported in the state does not represent the true prevalence of the disease and aims to educate medical practitioners to better diagnose it. This according to Wind-borne valley fever underreported in New Mexico:
Dr. Chad Smelser, state epidemiologist, said recent assessments have shown that a fungus called Coccidioides is prevalent in Chihuahuan desert soil and is spread by wind storms.
Chris Minnick, New Mexico Department of Health regional public information officer, said the department is launching a program to teach medical providers to test for and treat the disease. He said health care providers from around the state — including Carlsbad and Eddy County — are being invited to attend a training seminar in Las Cruces.
“We have scheduled a training session for the 24th of this month in Las Cruces. We are bringing in experts from Arizona. They are leading the charge,” Minnick said. “They are familiar with the disease. Last year, Arizona reported more than 10,000 cases to New Mexico’s 40 to 60 cases each year.”
That really does seem like too large a difference in reported cased between the two states.
The disease presents with flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, chest pain, headache, fatigue, and sometimes a rash. Although the disease is usually self-clearing it can become disseminated and lethal in immunocompromised patients. The fungal infection usually starts in the lungs and is usually contracted by inhalation of spores.
On an interesting related note, an Arizona start-up company Valley Fever Solutions, Inc., was recently awarded a $3-million dollar grant to develop nikkomycin Z (NickZ) as a specific treatment for valley fever:
NikZ had started to be developed in the 1990s but the development stalled because no pharmaceutical company was interested in continuing the project. In 2005, the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine acquired the project, and since then has raised approximately $3 million in support from a variety of sources, including the NIH through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and philanthropic sources. This has allowed the reactivation of the project over the past five years. VFS also previously had been awarded a smaller grant for this project but existing funds and supplies of the NikZ drug stock were near depletion. With the $3 million grant starting this week the project now is able to continue.
More on Coccidioides and Valley Fever
New Mexico health officials suspect rise in cases of valley fever
Coccidioidomycosis at Wikipedia
Coccidioides immitis at Tom Volk’s Fungi
Coccidioidomycosis at Medscape
Tags: Coccidioides immitis, coccidioidomycosis, New Mexico, nikkomycin Z, valley fever
Is there a class action law suit going on?