Is Valley Fever America's Next Great Public Health Challenge?

William Heisel kicks of a series examining the infectious disease more common than AIDS, hepatitis, or Lyme disease. What environmental elements are contributing to its spread and what can planners and public health officials do to respond?

1 minute read

September 12, 2012, 1:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


This past weekend, ReportingonHealth.org launched Just One Breath, an initiative of the California Endowment Health Journalism Fellowships
at USC's Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism that is designed to investigate and publicize the infectious disease called "Valley Fever."

Heisel, project manager for the team of reporters, editors, photographers, and graphic artists working on the initiative, puts the rising prevalence of Valley Fever in the context of other, highly publicized diseases such as Whooping Cough and West Nile virus.

"On Saturday," says Heisel, "the team started the series by detailing the rise in cases. They followed up with a story on Sunday that examined whether climate change is expanding the disease's reach."

"In the coming weeks, the team will explore the long history of
inaction by government agencies, the tricky science of studying the
disease, the high costs to patients and taxpayers, and the lack of
interest in funding treatments and vaccines."

 

Thanks to Chris Steins

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 in Reporting on Health

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

People walking in Denver next to a red bus.

One of Denver’s busiest corridors to gain BRT

The project will span 18 miles and contain 74 bus rapid transit stations.

October 29 - Transportation Today News

People board an orange bus in Seattle.

275,000 bus trips are at stake on Seattle's ballot

If passed, the Seattle Transit Measure would trigger a 0.3% sales tax and raise an average of $138 million per year to maintain and expand Seattle’s bus services.

October 29 - Seattle Times

A desalination plant in Israel sucking water into pipes.

Texas may pay Israeli company billions to ease water woes

Texas awarded IDE Technologies the contract for its Harbor Island project, which is slated to become the Western Hemisphere's largest desalination plant.

October 29 - Inside Climate News