PHOENIX - A dry weather system moved across the state Thursday, bringing high winds and blowing dust. And the conditions are expected again Friday.
Dr. Art Mollen, from the Mollen Clinic in Phoenix, says with windy conditions comes the risk of Valley fever.
“Just be aware of the fact that you don’t want to be out there when there’s a lot of wind blowing and you’re in an area where there’s a high accumulation of dust,” he said.
What happens is the spores in the dirt get kicked up, and people breathe them in with the dust particles in the air.
“Now most of the time, it’s mild, and the symptoms just feel like you have the flu. You may have it for one or two days and it’s not a big deal,” Mollen said.
But symptoms can become severe when the fungus leaves the lung area and establishes an infection somewhere else in the body.
“A cough, fatigue, they may get a rash. The rash can be on the legs, little nodules on the legs,” Mollen said.
Valley fever leads to pneumonia in some cases. In fact, Banner Health’s medical experts say one out of every three cases of pneumonia is caused by Valley fever.
An estimated 500 people die every year.
Valley fever also doesn’t play favorites, but one group is especially at risk.
“People who have just come to Arizona in the first five years have a greater propensity of developing Valley fever,” Mollen said.