Cases of a deadly fungal infection known as Valley Fever have been rising across the West over the past decade, leading to thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths. Now, researchers have revealed the scope of the impact in a major Texas city and identified the cause of infections.
Valley Fever cases in El Paso – the site of frequent migrant crossings – have more than tripled between 2013-2022, rising from under 10 to dozens, the new research shows, due to the region’s frequent and blinding dust storms.
The strong winds that supercharge the storms whip up spores of the soil-dwelling fungus known as Coccidioides, and exposure leaves residents vulnerable to serious cases of meningitis and long-term lung infections…