Valley Fever cases are up in Monterey County

UPDATE 12/8/2016 6:05 PM:

The Monterey County Health Department is investigating an uptick in the number of Valley Fever cases this year.

Health officials say they’re seeing a spike, with 73 confirmed cases of Valley Fever this year, up more than 50 percent from 2015.

“So we have been looking into each of these cases, the individual’s age, where they live,” said Monterey County Health Director Dr. Edward Moreno. “I hope to be able to look at where they work to determine to where the exposure might have occurred.”

What we do know: Most cases are coming out of South County.

“Forty of those cases occurred in people who live in south Monterey County,” Moreno said. “The highest number reported so far are from the city of Soledad, where there are 17 people confirmed with valley fever this year. The highest rates, which means the places you’re more likely to develop valley fever this year are in Bradley and San Ardo.”

Patients range from three to 86 years old. Most cases present in the fall and are typically in areas with dry climates like south Monterey, Kern and Tulare counties and the San Joaquin Valley.

It’s not a communicable disease, so people can’t catch it from another person.

Valley Fever is caused when a certain fungus grows in the soil. Once the ground is broken, the dust and dirt gets spread into the area. If people breathe in certain spores, like Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii, they could get sick.

Certain professions are at a higher risk for exposure like agriculture, construction, wildland firefighting and military personnel.

Symptoms can vary – some get them, others don’t.

“People describe chest pain, coughing, maybe night sweats,” said Dr. Maximilano Cuevas, CEO of Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas. “The doctors don’t usually suspect it because people don’t suspect it.”

And in more severe cases, people can get bone and joint pain and rashes.

Filipinos, Asian Americans and African Americans are at a higher risk for more serious conditions. There are ways to treat it, but most cases go away on its own.

The health department recommends people stay inside on windy days and if they have to work outside, to work with employers to take safety measures.

ORIGINAL POST:

There has been a spike in reported cases of valley fever in Monterey County. The county’s health director, Dr. Edward Moreno, says there have been 73 cases so far this year. Seventeen of the patients live in Soledad, and there are also high rates of infection in San Ardo and Bradley in south Monterey County. Patients range in age from three to 86.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, valley fever is a infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides. The fungus is usually found in soil and often infects a patient’s lungs.

KION’s Mariana Hicks spoke with health experts and will explain tonight how the disease is spread and what the treatment options are.