Fungal infections known as valley fever could spike this fall - 3 epidemiologists explain how to protect yourself

As the climate warms and landscapes become drier, researchers fear that valley fever could spread across other regions of the U.S. Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images

As the climate warms, the southwestern U.S. is increasingly experiencing weather whiplash as the region swings from drought to flooding and back again. As a result, the public is hearing more about little-known infectious diseases, such as valley fever.

In May 2024, about 20,000 people attended a music festival in Buena Vista Lake, California. In the months that followed, at least 19 developed valley fever, and eight were hospitalized from their infection. This outbreak follows a dramatic increase of more than 800% in valley fever infections in California between 2000 and 2018.