CDC: Valley Fever Cases Increased From 2014 to 2017

According to research published in the issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, coccidioidomycosis is still a national public health problem, and the number of cases has increased in recent years.

Kaitlin Benedict, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues examined surveillance for coccidioidomycosis, which is reportable in 26 states and the District of Columbia, from 2011 to 2017.

The researchers identified 95,371 cases from 26 states and the District of Columbia that were reported during 2011 to 2017. From 2011 to 2014, there was a decrease in the number of cases (22,634 to 8,232) and a subsequent increase to 14,364 cases in 2017. Most cases (>95 percent) were reported from Arizona and California. From 2011 to 2017, there was a decrease in the reported incidence in Arizona (from 261 to 101 per 100,000 persons), while in California, incidence increased from 15.7 to 18.2 per 100,000; incidence rates in other states remained constant. Patient demographic characteristics were mainly unchanged, with an overall predominance among men and among adults aged >60 years and 40 to 59 years in Arizona and California, respectively.

"Despite the limited scope and depth of current coccidioidomycosis surveillance practices, these data indicate that the disease persists as an important national public health problem, with cases occurring across the country, and a major public health problem for parts of Arizona and California," the authors write.

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