202 Magazine September 2013 Edition September 2013 | Page 50

/ 202 HEALTH AND WELLNESS / feeling great
Written by wu Paolo Benevento

Valley Fever on the Rise
Monsoon Kicks up More than Dust
We all know the trouble caused by monsoon dust storms; snarled traffic, downed trees, and dirt filled pools. But, now, doctors are warning, dust picked up by summer winds are whipping up new cases of valley fever which can wreak havoc on your health. heart attack. Thinking it would pass, he did not see a doctor for several days, but finally went to the ER at Banner Baywood Hospital in Mesa, Ariz. “They immediately checked me out,” Schubert remembers, “put me through several tests and discovered I had a severe case of pneumonia in one lung.” As it turned out, that pneumonia was caused by a fungal spore growing in his lung, which docCorey Schubert continues to enjoy the tors say is a danger posed by dust great outdoors with his pal Lyla. storms. Not only do they kick up dust, they can kick up spores of a Dr. Edward Carter, Chief of the fungus called Coccidioides, which, Pulmonary Division of Cardon if inhaled, can lead to valley fever. Children’s Medical Center, says And, they warn, cases can increase Schubert’s case is not unusual. dramatically during the monsoon. “About one-third of people infected “I’m almost certain I caught valley have significant illness, Dr. Carter fever because I was foolish,” says explains. “Which can range from Schubert. “I went outside for about minor flu-like symptoms to severe one to two minutes during a mild pneumonia and meningitis,” he dust storm to take out the trash,” adds. “Symptoms usually develop he recalls. v?F???6WfV?F?#?F?2gFW"W??7W&R?( ?G"?6'FW"6?2?b??RF?W?W&?V?6R??&R6WfW&R7??F??2?B?2???'F?B??R6VV??VF?6?GFV?F??????VF?FV??66?&F??rF?G"?6'FW"?7??F??2F?vF6??WBf?"??6?VFR?6?Vv??fF?wVR?fWfW"??W66?R6?W2?6?W7B????B&6??( ?F????F?&??F?72f?"Gv?vVV?2F?vWB&?B?bF?R?WV????( GF?Bv2F?RV7?'B?( ?&V?V?&W'266?V&W'B?( ??BF?F?R?F??gV?v?2F?6??&BF?Rf??W?fWfW"f?"F?&VR???F?2?( ?66?V&W'B6?2F?R?F??gV?v??VG27F??VB??2FVWF??BW6WB??27F??6??( ??BF???7??F??2W7V??FWfV??v?F???6WfV?F?#?F?2gFW"W??7W&R?( DG"?VGv&B6'FW ?f??W?&W6?FV?B6?&W?66?V&W'B???w2F?Bf?'7B??B??R6?2???FR#??R&Vv?W?W&?V?6??rV?W7V?7??F??2?( ?7F'FVB?f??r??BF?ff?7V?G?'&VF???r??F?R??&???w2?( ??R6?2?( ?v?V??v?BF?v?&????RF????7F'FVB?f??r6?'??2&?fR??V'BV6?F??R?F???'&VF??( ?66?V&W'B?v??v?&?2f?"&??W"?V?F??6?2Bf?'7B?RF??Vv?B?Bv26WfW&R?V'F'W&???"WfV???f??W?fWfW"d5E0?Gv??F??&G2?bf??W?fWfW"??f??W?fWfW"7??F??3???fV7F???2&Rt6?Vv?6??G&7FVB??tfF?wVR&?????tfWfW ?tgV?v?7?&W2&V6??R?&&?&?Rv?V?6????2F?7GW&&VB?t??fV7F????67W'2v?V?7?&R?2????VB?t?W66?R6?W2uv?F???F?R?V?r?F?R7?&W26??vR?Bw&?r?t6?W7B??uf??W?fWfW"?2??B6??Fv??W2?u&6??B?2??B76VBg&??W'6??F?W'6?????rf??W?fWfW"7&VG0??6?W&76S?f??W?fWfW"6V?FW"f?"W?6V??V?6R?wwr?dd4R?&?????VGR?BV????'?F?f?6????b6&F??6???G&V?( ?2?VF?6?6V?FW ??S??#"?t???R?4UDT?$U"#2?#&?v???R?6???