

Toxic dust storms in the southwestern USA are killing people via infections - ck2
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/01/20/140120fa_fact_goodyear

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cheald
While it is actually A Thing, it's far less scary than the article makes it
out to be. How about some actual numbers?

Last year in Arizona, Valley Fever was attributed a mortality rate (primary +
secondary causes of death) of ~0.6/100,000 [1]. In the vast majority of cases,
the victim makes a full recovery rapidly with no lingering effects. Most
fatalities from it are due to the development of chronic pneumonia - by
comparison, pneumonia in general has a mortality rate of ~15/100,000 [2].

While it's true that there was a tenfold increase in reported cases between
'98 and '11, the disease was only required to be reported starting in '97, and
in '09, the lab reporting methods were changed, resulting in more cases being
reported. [1]

> _Laboratory reporting of valley fever was mandated in 1997. Since then,
> reports of valley fever have increased dramatically. In 2009, a major
> commercial laboratory (Lab A) altered its reporting practices for valley
> fever, greatly increasing the total number of reported cases. In 2012, a
> change in testing methods at Lab A took place leading to a decline in the
> number of cases reported in late 2012._

It's also worth noting that reports _outside_ of this unnamed major laboratory
are basically flat (Table 2, Figure 3)

All in all, while it's something to be aware of, it's hardly the terrifying
epidemic that the New Yorker would make it out to be.

[1] [http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/epi/disease/valley-
fever/docum...](http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/epi/disease/valley-
fever/documents/reports/valley-fever-2012.pdf)

[2]
[http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_04.pdf](http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_04.pdf)

