Tying Soil Science to Human Health
Coccidioidomycosis, more commonly referred to as Valley Fever, is a severe bronchial infection caused by a soil fungal pathogen. Thousands are afflicted each year, primarily in Arizona and California, as they are exposed to infectious spores in the air. The Coccidioidomycosis Study Group was established in 1956 and consists of a growing cohort of physicians, health care workers, researchers and more. They are dedicated to elucidating and expanding the knowledge in clinical treatment, epidemiology, ecology, and biology of the pathogen and subsequent disease. The 66th annual Coccidioidomycosis Study Group conference was hosted in Bakersfield, CA this year by The Valley Fever Institute at Kern Medical. I was fortunate enough to represent the Lewis Lab at the conference in an effort to bring Cocci research back to Texas and meet with the amazing and incredibly hospitable Cocci experts.
There is a lack of knowledge in the ecology and epidemiology of Coccidioides spp., the fungal pathogen and causative agent of Valley Fever. The ecological niche and climatic parameters ideal for Coccidioides spp. prevalence is not completely understood and the published endemic range is most likely outdated. Texas has historically been included in this range; however, few studies have focused on identifying soil and environmental bioaerosol samples across the state for the fungal pathogen. As a result, Valley Fever may be drastically under-reported and misdiagnosed in Texas, more specifically across the Texas Southern High Plains and Trans Pecos areas. Understanding the geographic distribution and natural habitat factors relevant to the growth and prevalence of Coccidioides spp. in the soil will help in elucidating these parameters as well as positively affecting the epidemiological outcome of Valley Fever.
Attending conferences outside our niche and exploring ways to combine various scientific communities is a rare privilege as a graduate student at any institution. The Lewis Lab is excited to help educate and expose those to the importance of soil science and we hope to return to the 67th Annual Conference and present results regarding our findings and contribute to this incredible community!
Christopher Cobos- Christopher.cobos@ag.tamu.edu
I was lucky to attend the 66th CocciStudyGroup conference alongside Dr. Everardo Cobos, Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Kern Medical in Bakersfield, CA.
