Using climate and environmental data to understand Valley fever disease dynamics
Valley fever is a fungal disease primarily found throughout the southwestern United States, as well as parts of Central and South America. Humans can contract Valley fever by inhaling Coccidioides spp. fungal spores from the environment. Since Coccidioides grows in desert-like soils, the fungi are influenced by environmental conditions. Changes in the environment can influence the abundance and dispersal of Coccidioides, causing fluctuations in Valley fever incidence. I used Valley fever case data and environmental conditions to explore how climate controls the timing and number of Valley fever cases in the southwestern US, the current boundary of the endemic region for the disease, and what areas in the US may become endemic in response to future climate conditions. This work may be used to create effective mitigation strategies to reduce the health effects from Valley fever.
