PSA: Valley Fever in the Southwest.. there's a Fungus among us and it's naaasty

[cbelt3]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23166839

"Described by the Centers for Disease Control as a silent epidemic, 22,401 new infections were recorded across the US in 2011, mostly in the south-west, up tenfold from 1998.

Although two-thirds of those infected suffer no symptoms, and the illness is not contagious, about 160 people die each year when the fungus spreads beyond the lungs to the brain.

"

Immunocompromised and those susceptible to fungal problems ... stay away.

[decay]

my brother in law had it, from breathing in a cloud of black mulch dust. he was in the hospital & everything.

he lives in Phoenix.

[Stephanie]

My uncle, who lived in Bakersfield, Ca, died due to complications from it (this was a number of years ago).

[Carm]

Thanks for the info.