Valley Fever on Increase in Southwestern States: CDC

A fungal respiratory infection known as 'Valley Fever' is on the rise in several southwestern states from 1998-2011, reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Valley Fever, aka Coccidiodomycosis is triggered on inhaling a fungus known as Coccidiodes that is found in the soil in the southwestern U.S. The cases of Valley Fever increased from 2,265 in 1998 to more than 22,000 in 2011 in places like Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

Not all who are exposed to this fungus catch the disease. But those who do suffer from flu-like symptoms that last for weeks or months, and require immediate medical attention. Some people are highly vulnerable to the disease such as those with cancer, organ transplant or HIV. Nearly 40 percent of the people diagnosed with this fever require hospitalization.

"Valley Fever is causing real health problems for many people living in the southwestern United States," CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., said in a press statement. "Because fungus particles spread through the air, it's nearly impossible to completely avoid exposure to this fungus in these hardest-hit states. It's important that people be aware of Valley Fever if they live in or have travelled to the southwest United States."

According to the researchers, the increase in Valley Fever cases is due to the change in climate, rise in population, or the way the disease is being detected. They say that more research is needed in order to find out why there has been an increase in the number of Valley Fever cases.

Nearly 112,000 cases of Valley Fever were reported from 28 states and Washington, D.C. during the study period. But only 66 percent of the cases were from Arizona and 31 percent was from California, followed by 1 percent from Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 1 percent from other states combined.

Researchers clearly could not answer what is causing an increase in the Valley Fever cases, and demand the need for further research to find out ways to reduce this effect.

CDC emphasizes on the need to familiarize oneself with the symptoms of Valley Fever that are similar to flu or pneumonia symptoms.