(Noema) – Unchecked development is encroaching into parched desert landscapes and kicking up more than just a little dust — it’s raising the risk of a mysterious new infection.

Here, like in much of the arid American West, Valley fever is on the rise. The fungal infection, which is caused by inhaling spores found in soil and dust, is little discussed and often misdiagnosed, but it is a frequent cause of pneumonia and occasionally results in infection that spreads beyond the lungs, and sometimes, into the brain. In some cases, Valley fever can be deadly.

Construction workers and farm workers whose work brings them close to dust, are on the front lines of this epidemic, with little means to protect themselves. Yet we have only a vague understanding of where the fungus is now, much less how the rapid transformation of southwestern landscapes by both development and climate change will change who is at risk of infection. Unfamiliar diseases are appearing in new places, forcing patients to chase diagnoses and proper medical care. (Read More)