State health officials say there’ve been more than 7,500 cases of Valley fever reported so far this year. It’s transmitted when people inhale fungal spores living in the ground; the majority of this year’s cases have been reported in Maricopa County. The actual number of cases, though, is likely higher, because diagnosing the fungal disease can be a challenge.
But researchers at Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic are working on a new, faster way to find out if a patient has Valley fever, and the result has been licensed by a company called Cactus Bio.
Doug Lake, a professor at ASU and chair of Foundational Sciences at the new School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering there, joined The Show to discuss more.
Full conversation
MARK BRODIE: Doug, what’s the thought behind this new Valley fever test?…