An outbreak that occurred among attendees at an outdoor music festival in California’s Central Valley serves as proof that the threat of the fungal infection known as Valley fever is increasing.
In May, the Lightning in a Bottle festival in Bakersfield saw five confirmed cases of individuals who attended the event. Three of the affected individuals required hospitalization.
Eric Mattson, a 33-year-old musician from San Luis Obispo who attended the festival, shared that he experienced intense body aches and high fevers about a week after returning. He was diagnosed with Valley fever last month.
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According to Mattson, his condition advanced to the point where he began experiencing joint pain that made it challenging to move around. In addition to this, he also suffered from night sweats and would wake up drenched in sweat two to three times a night. Mattson would then have to change his bedding and pajamas while enduring a considerable amount of pain. The experience was nothing short of dreadful for him.
The fungus coccidioides is the primary cause of valley fever, which primarily affects hot, arid regions like Arizona and California. However, due to climate change, the fungus is thriving more than ever before, leading to a rise in valley fever cases in California.
In nearly two decades, the number of annual infections in the state of California skyrocketed from less than 1,000 in 2000 to over 9,000 in 2019. The California Department of Public Health has recently released a report stating that there have been 5,370 suspected or confirmed cases in the current year. However, officials from the department have yet to provide any explanation for the surge in cases.
This year, the number of suspected and confirmed cases in San Joaquin County has already surpassed 200, a significant increase from last year’s total of 47 and 59 in 2022.
Valley fever is not a contagious disease that can spread from person to person. The inhalation of spores found in soil or dust is what causes it. The term “Valley fever” originated from the discovery of coccidioides in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
The number of cases related to the music festival may be greater than what the state has reported. The health department has not reached out to Mattson, and they have not revealed the identities of the confirmed cases, making it unclear if Mattson’s case is counted. However, NBC News has reviewed his medical record, which confirms his positive test result.
According to Mattson, he shed around 20 pounds in just four to five weeks.
Upon experiencing symptoms, he suspected Valley fever due to previous reports of festivalgoers getting infected. However, his initial diagnosis was pneumonia. It was only after his primary care doctor requested a blood test that he received a positive diagnosis for Valley fever early last month.
Dr. Geetha Sivasubramanian, an assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCSF Fresno, stated that cases similar to Mattson’s are widespread. She emphasized that many patients with valley fever are often incorrectly diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia.
According to her, the reason behind this is that a lot of doctors are either not well-informed about the illness or they test for it too soon or mistake it for some other respiratory infection. This can result in patients taking unnecessary antibiotics instead of the required antifungal medications.
It’s surprising to note that roughly 60% of those who contract Valley fever don’t exhibit any symptoms. However, some people may experience a cough, fever, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle aches, joint pain, night sweats, or a rash on their legs or upper body. Those with diabetes, weakened immune systems, or who are pregnant are more susceptible to severe lung infections. In extremely rare cases, roughly 1%, a lung infection may spread to the bones, joints, or brain, which can be fatal.
According to Sivasubramanian, the cluster of cases among the massive crowd of over 20,000 people who attended the music festival did not come as a surprise.
According to her, living in a high endemic area for valley fever puts anyone at risk, including those who are visiting or residing in such regions.
During the winter season in the Central Valley, the fungus can thrive in the soil due to heavy rainfall. Dust is what disperses the fungus spores into the air as the temperature rises and the soil dries out.
Engaging in activities that generate high amounts of dust, such as farming or construction work, heightens the likelihood of being exposed to valley fever. Evidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2014 revealed that five confirmed and five suspected cases of this ailment were traced back to dry and dusty conditions on an outdoor film set.
According to Dr. Arturo Casadevall, the chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Lightning in a Bottle found itself in the perfect place at the perfect moment.
According to him, there are two essential components required for the process: a cloud of spores and people.
According to Mattson, the festival’s windy conditions caused dust to be kicked up in the vicinity of certain stages and the camping area, where numerous attendees were situated.
He remarked, “A lot of dust is kicked up when many people are dancing.”
The coccidioides fungus is thriving in the face of climate change, which is causing heavier rainfall and higher temperatures. These conditions are creating an environment that is perfect for the fungus to grow. In addition, the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires are also contributing to the spread of spores to surrounding areas.
According to a 2019 study, Valley fever might already be prevalent in certain counties of 10 states, including Kansas and Oklahoma, outside of California and Arizona.
Casadevall predicts that with the expansion of deserts, there will be occurrences of cases beyond their traditional regions.
There is a suspicion among some researchers that rodents may contribute to the spread of the fungus as their migration patterns are altered due to climate change. However, not all researchers agree with this theory. A recent study conducted in 2022 discovered the presence of coccidioides, the fungus responsible for Valley fever, in rodents located in Kern County, which is the location of the Lightning in a Bottle festival.
According to Mattson, he doesn’t have any regrets about attending the festival. However, he wants to make sure that the people in his community are informed about the illness and its symptoms.
He emphasized the importance of advocating for testing if one has been in the valley or an area with high levels of airborne dust.
Aria Bendix serves as the health reporter for NBC News Digital, covering breaking news and developments in the field of healthcare.
