Study links higher disease rates to certain agricultural and natural landscapes near California communities, raising concerns as drought and water regulations lead to more farmland being left uncultivated across the state.
September 1, 2026 – Researchers from University of California San Diego and University of California, Berkeley have found that certain landscapes surrounding California communities are associated with differing rates of Valley fever, a fungal respiratory infection caused by inhaling spores carried in windblown dust.
Naturally dry, sparsely vegetated landscapes and some types of farmland were associated with higher disease rates, while other agricultural land uses were associated with lower rates. The findings also suggest that fallowing farmland may influence Valley fever rates in some circumstances. The study was published on August 21, 2026, in Science Advances…