Dust storm bring rise in valley fever concerns

PHOENIX - The calm after a dust storm can bring a hidden danger.

As Valley residents recover from Monday's storm, experts warn of the potential for a rise in valley fever cases.

What we know:

Valley fever, a fungal infection endemic to the desert Southwest, is contracted by inhaling fungal spores from the soil that are kicked up by dust storms. While many people's immune systems fight off the infection as they would a cold or flu, the disease can escalate and have long-lasting effects.

Two Valley men, Chris Sams and Asher Poole, serve as examples of the disease's varying severity, showing that even healthy and active individuals can be affected.

Sams, who was first diagnosed in 2017, described his initial symptoms as rapid weight loss, night sweats and a "really sick" feeling in his chest.

"I am the rare case of how extreme that it has gotten," Sams said.

His condition progressed to a disseminated state, where the infection spread from his lungs to his brain and spine. Despite hundreds of treatments and multiple surgeries, Sams still feels the effects daily.

"I still feel it daily, I'm still exhausted, I am still drained. I'm always tired. I still have some night sweats at times," he said.

Asher Poole, diagnosed three years ago, also experienced chest tightness and trouble regulating his body temperature.

"Two weeks in, I was like really sick, and I started having body chills all over," Poole said. "Luckily, I have a bathtub that I like to take warm baths in when I'm sick and that wasn't even helping."

A chest X-ray showed he had developed nodules in his lungs, which have since disappeared.

Doctors give their advice:

Specialists advise residents to be aware of the symptoms. Dr. Janice Blair, with the Mayo Clinic's Division of Infectious Diseases, said people with persistent symptoms should advocate for themselves and get tested.

"The tests themselves are not perfect tests," she said. "And they can miss quite substantially early on in the illness. So if it's negative and the symptoms persist, consider asking for a follow-up test as well."

Dr. Sanjay Patel, an allergist and immunologist with Modena Health in Scottsdale, said the symptoms can be hard to differentiate from other conditions. He said more concerning symptoms of infection are fever and fatigue, while sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes may indicate allergies.