[meteorite-list] Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) Mohave desert risk for meteorite hunters and rockhounders et al

From: Count Deiro <countdeiro_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:53:07 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
Message-ID: <22538714.1348516387596.JavaMail.root_at_wamui-hunyo.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Hi Larry and All,

My wife, Joan and I, were both raised in Southern Nevada. We discovered about twenty years ago, when Valley Fever became the "new " disease on the block with the main stream media, that we had been infected with it as children and recovered without knowning we had been ill.

We lost one of our Dobermann Pinschers to Valley Fever seven years ago and didn't realize what it was till he was terminal. Since then we have had most of the family tested (Another three out of fifteen were positive including Joan's 99 year old mother.) We are careful to tell visitors to try and not move about in dusty conditions and inhale particulates, but it is almost impossible for a person to live here and avoid doing that.

The symptoms in most healthy mature humans aren't usually severe enough to get attention and if one does get the spores, there is an antifungal that will help suppress it.

But, your right. Live in the desert long enough and you'll be infected.

Regards,

Count Deiro
IMCA 3536

-----Original Message-----
>From: Lebofsky at lpl.arizona.edu
>Sent: Sep 24, 2012 11:54 AM
>To: drtanuki <drtanuki at yahoo.com>
>Cc: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) Mohave desert risk for meteorite hunters and rockhounders et al
>
>Since some of you do come to Tucson, if you live in Tucson, it is likely
>you will eventually get valley fever.
>
>Larry
>
>
> Dear List,
>> Ran across this tidbit about an unknown (to me) RISK FACTOR while Mohave
>> meteorite hunting (in a article about fossil bugs):
>> http://inyo.coffeecup.com/site/barstowfossils/barstowfossils.html
>>
>> Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) Mohave desert risk for meteorite hunters
>> and rockhounders et al
>> "And now for the obligatory words of caution. Endemic to the Mojave Desert
>> of California and southern Nevada, including the Las Vegas, Nevada, region
>> by the way, is Valley Fever. This is a potentially serious illness called,
>> scientifically, Coccidioidomycosis, or "coccy" for short; it's caused by
>> the inhalation of an infectious airborne fungus whose spores lie dormant
>> in the uncultivated, harsh alkaline soils of the Mojave Desert. When an
>> unsuspecting and susceptible individual breaths the spores into his or her
>> lungs, the fungus springs to life, as it prefers the moist, dark recesses
>> of the human lungs (cats, dogs, rodents and even snakes, among other
>> vertebrates, are also susceptible to "coccy") to multiply and be happy.
>> Most cases of active Valley Fever resemble a minor touch of the flu,
>> though the majority of those exposed show absolutely no symptoms of any
>> kind of illness; it is important to note, of course, that in rather rare
>> instances Valley
>> Fever can progress to a severe and serious infection, causing high fever,
>> chills, unending fatigue, rapid weight loss, inflammation of the joints,
>> meningitis, pneumonia and even death. Every fossil enthusiast who chooses
>> to visit the Mojave Desert must be fully aware of the risks involved."
>>
>> More about the bugs if you wish read Paul H`s E-Pistles:
>> http://theepistlesofpaul.blogspot.jp/2012/09/finding-fossilized-insects-in-mojave.html
>>
>> Thanks Paul for your diggings!
>>
>> Add this one to the Hanta Virus and rattlesnakes!
>>
>> Best Always in LIFE, Dirk Ross...Tokyo
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Received on Mon 24 Sep 2012 03:53:07 PM PDT