Dust in the Wind: Climate Change, Human Activity, and the Rising Threat of Valley Fever in California

A growing body of research reveals that climate change carries hidden health risks beyond extreme weather—among them, the surge of fungal diseases like Valley fever. This illness, caused by inhalation of airborne Coccidioides spores found in soil, has seen cases in California triple since 2014, leading to conditions ranging from mild respiratory symptoms to life-threatening complications [2].