Climate Change Accelerates the Spread of COVID-like Illness

Climate change is a crucial problem usually associated with worsening weather patterns and rising sea levels. However, its effects are not limited to the environment. It is also linked with the possible emergence of new diseases and the worsening of existing ones. Climate change and the spread of disease is an ongoing concerns.

One example of climate change’s role in spreading diseases is the rising cases of one fungal disease with symptoms similar to COVID in the United States. It is spreading from southwestern areas and can potentially infect people en masse beyond US borders.

What Is Valley Fever

The fungal disease is called Valley Fever, named after California’s San Joaquin Valley. It infects people through the nose after breathing in the microscopic spores of the Coccidioides fungus which is known to live in the soil in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico and Central and South America. The fungus was also recently found in south-central Washington.

Also known as coccidioidomycosis, this infection causes fatigue, cough, fever, headache, and shortness of breath. It also induces night sweats and muscle aches. In addition, some of those infected develop rashes or erythema nodosum. The symptoms usually appear after one to three weeks from exposure.

Not everyone who inhales the Coccidioides spores becomes ill. Most who show symptoms usually get better without requiring treatment after a few weeks. However, some people fall seriously ill from it. Seniors are generally more prone to feeling the aggravated effects of coccidioidomycosis. Also, those with weak immune systems or immunocompromised are likely to experience the symptoms and severe cases of infection.

Treatments for Valley Fever focus on mitigating the symptoms and killing the fungi in the body. The attending physician may prescribe the administration of fluconazole or other antifungal medications for three to six months. Fluconazole may be familiar to some, as it is also present in antifungal solutions used to treat toenail fungal infections.

You could click here to find non-prescription for ordinary toenail antifungal medications but do not be confused as it is administered differently for Valley Fever patients: there are no over-the-counter antifungal medications for Valley Fever so anyone suffering from the symptoms must see a physician to determine the best treatment method.

The Climate Change Factor and Disease

The surge in coccidioidomycosis cases is not a surprise for the medical community. In 2019, there was a study published in the journal GeoHealth. It suggested that climate change may facilitate the spread of Valley Fever into the north-western areas.

According to the study, Valley Fever is set to reach northern Utah and the eastern side of Colorado in around a decade. The same study says that it is possible for the disease to reach endemicity in Nebraska, southern Idaho, South Dakota, and the southeastern part of Montana by 2065. Predictive models also show that the infection may arrive in North Dakota and the northern portion of Montana by 2095.

These numbers may not appear too alarming, but they serve as additional proof that climate change has serious consequences. Coccidioidomycosis is not an infectious disease. It does not spread from one person to another. The disease generally stays in places with undisturbed soil, where the Coccidioides fungus thrives. However, changing weather patterns bring about dust storms that blow the fungi into new areas. Tourists may also carry the fungus on their footwear and clothes.

Prevention and Handling

Valley Fever is not common in the UK. However, a study published in The British Student Doctor says that cases have risen in non-endemic areas including in locations abroad. Therefore, it is unwise to ignore or downplay this potential global threat.

Healthcare experts suggest concerted efforts to ensure that Valley Fever does not spread further. These include the thorough examination of travel histories. In addition, it is important to take precautionary measures for those who regularly travel to the US southwest and spend significant time in arid, undisturbed areas to mitigate the potential of climate change and the spread of disease