Background

This activity focuses on Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), an illness that develops from inhaling spores of the fungus Coccidioides imitis or Coccidioides posadasii. These fungi are commonly found in soils of the south-western USA and in Central and South America, where the disease has been long recognized as a threat. Communities of people, pets, and farm animals inhabiting periodically dry environmental conditions are particularly vulnerable, and investigators have suggested that the current incidence of the disease and the geographical expansion of zones of vulnerability are linked to climate change. Improved understanding of the One Health context of Valley fever should inform public communication strategies for preventing the disease. Government agencies responsible for implementing risk reduction activities regarding climate-sensitive disease that affect people and pets need to carefully tailor public communication messages to include scientific uncertainties at the intersection of animal, human and environmental health, while advocating precautionary measures that support population-level behavior change to lower vulnerability to infection by fungal pathogens.

Activity adapted from: Ogunseitan, O. A. (2022). Mouldy planet: fungi and one health. One Health Cases, 2022

Additional Background Resources:

Mouldy Planet Fungi and One Health:
‍https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/onehealthcases.2022.0004

World Health Organization – Risk Communication and Community Engagement:
‍https://www.who.int/emergencies/risk-communications