Interdisciplinary Science to Confront Coccidioidomycosis

Sarafoglou, Nikias; Laniado-Laborı́n, Rafael; Sprigg, William A.; Kafatos, Menas

doi:10.11114/ijsss.v8i4.4891

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Dust storm frequency and Valley fever incidences are strongly correlated, more so than other known factors, in two major endemic centers, Maricopa and Pima Counties of Arizona in the US Southwest (Tong et al, 2017(Tong et al, , 2022. Outside the US Southwest, the information of Valley fever incidence rates or trends is limited and incomplete, since regular reporting systems are not in place (Hector & Laniado-Laborin, 2005;Sarafoglou et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The gap between the knowledge pool and public awareness can be costly for affected communities. For instance, while Valley fever is increasingly recognized in the United States, similar diagnostics and reporting systems are limited or non‐existent outside the US, even though the first known case was reported in Argentina in 1892 and coccidioidomycosis has been found across Mexico into Central and South America (Sarafoglou et al., 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Health and Safety Effects of Airborne Soil Dust in the Americas and Beyond

Tong

Gill

Sprigg

et al. 2023

Reviews of Geophysics

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Risks associated with dust hazards are often underappreciated, a gap between the knowledge pool and public awareness that can be costly for impacted communities. This study reviews the emission sources and chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of airborne soil particles (dust) and their effects on human and environmental health and safety in the Pan‐American region. American dust originates from both local sources (western United States, northern Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina) and long‐range transport from Africa and Asia. Dust properties, as well as the trends and interactions with criteria air pollutants, are summarized. Human exposure to dust is associated with adverse health effects, including asthma, allergies, fungal infections, and premature death. In the Americas, a well‐documented and striking effect of soil dust is its association with Coccidioidomycosis, commonly known as Valley fever, an infection caused by inhalation of soil‐dwelling fungi unique to this region. Besides human health, dust affects environmental health through nutrients that increase phytoplankton biomass, contaminants that diminish water supply and affect food (crops/fruits/vegetables and ready‐to‐eat meat), spread crop and marine pathogens, cause Valley fever among domestic and wild animals, transport heavy metals, radionuclides and microplastics, and reduce solar and wind power generation. Dust is also a safety hazard to road transportation and aviation, in the southwestern US where blowing dust is one of the deadliest weather hazards. To mitigate the harmful effects, coordinated regional and international efforts are needed to enhance dust observations and prediction capabilities, soil conservation measures, and Valley fever and other disease surveillance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health and Safety Effects of Airborne Soil Dust in the Americas and Beyond

Tong

Gill

Sprigg

et al. 2023

Reviews of Geophysics

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The gap between the knowledge pool and public awareness can be costly for affected communities. For instance, while Valley fever is increasingly recognized in the United States, similar diagnostics and reporting systems are limited or non-existent outside the US, even though the first known case was reported in Argentina in 1892 and coccidioidomycosis has been found across Mexico into Central and South America (Sarafoglou et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health and Safety Effects of Airborne Soil Dust in the Americas and Beyond

Tong

Baklanov

Barker

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Risks associated with dust hazards are often underappreciated, a gap between the knowledge pool and public awareness that can be costly for impacted communities. This study reviews the emission sources and chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of airborne soil particles (dust) and their effects on human and environmental health and safety in the Pan-American region. American dust originates from both local sources (western United States, northern Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina) and long-range transport from Africa and Asia. Dust properties, as well as the trends and interactions with criteria air pollutants, are summarized. Human exposure to dust is associated with adverse health effects, including asthma, allergies, fungal infections, and premature death. In the Americas, a well-documented and striking effect of soil dust is its association with Coccidioidomycosis, commonly known as Valley fever, an infection caused by inhalation of soil-dwelling fungi unique to this region. Besides human health, dust affects environmental health through nutrients that increase phytoplankton biomass, contaminants that diminish water supply and affect food (crops/ fruits/vegetables and ready-to-eat meat), spread crop and marine pathogens, cause Valley fever among domestic and wild animals, transport heavy metals, radionuclides and microplastics, and reduce solar and wind power generation. Dust is also a safety hazard to road transportation and aviation, in the southwestern US where blowing dust is one of the deadliest weather hazards. To mitigate the harmful effects, coordinated regional and international efforts are needed to enhance dust observations and prediction capabilities, soil conservation measures, and Valley fever and other disease surveillance.Plain Language Summary Soil particles suspended in the air, commonly known as dust, impose substantial risks to many sectors of society, including human health, environmental health, transportation safety and the general economy. This work focuses on the dust effects in the Pan-American region, where the knowledge is rather fragmented, but impacts are costly.

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Interdisciplinary Science to Confront Coccidioidomycosis

Cited by 2 publications

References 57 publications

Health and Safety Effects of Airborne Soil Dust in the Americas and Beyond

Health and Safety Effects of Airborne Soil Dust in the Americas and Beyond

Health and Safety Effects of Airborne Soil Dust in the Americas and Beyond

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