Valley Fever Epidemic is the first and only comprehensive, complete, and up-to-date book written for the lay person on the subject
of coccidioidomycosis, commonly known as Valley Fever. It features detailed in-depth information on the disease's symptoms, diagnosis, testing, risk factors, drugs and treatment, and more.
Read editorial reviews here
We are an all-volunteer organization. Through your purchase of our goods at the VFS store or our books it will help us to reach our ultimate goal which is to bring attention to the disease and funding to the research for a vaccine and a cure. Nothing is more important than your health and the health of a loved one or pet.
Welcome To The NEW VFS!
The new design at Valley Fever Survivor will help provide more access to
our current and upcoming features, including the Introductory Video
that will appear on this page, our social media options, an RSS feed, and
the special video series to come. We won't rest in the fight
against coccidioidomycosis and we have big plans so come back to this
site soon.
There
are some web sites apparently using Valley Fever Survivor's name but
soliciting money or suggesting that you help them for various causes.
If the sites are not linked from the http://www.valleyfeversurvivor.com
web site, they are NOT FROM US. They are violating the law by
misusing our registered trademark and misrepresenting themselves as our
organization.
Important Progress!
Earlier this year we reported on the problem that the
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) ceased its
reporting of Valley Fever to the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC). This caused the major problem that coccidioidomycosis was
no longer a nationally notifiable disease, with all the loss of
publicity and mindshare in the public health community such a demotion
would imply – even after 2009 was the worst Valley Fever epidemic in
history by an increase of 60% over 2008.
Fortunately at the CSTE
annual conference, things were finally set straight for next year and
Valley Fever will once again be a nationally notifiable disease
starting in January 2011.
For now only Arizona and
California provide significant data, and California's case statistics
are notoriously underreported. VFS will still continue to track
Arizona. With Arizona's ever-increasing caseload, 2010 may shape
up to eclipse 2009's "Worst Valley Fever Year Ever" status even without
help from California and other states.
The 2009 Epidemic
2009 has been the worst
year ever in the history of the Valley Fever
epidemic. Arizona had a 60% increase in reported cases over
2008. So far there are over 10,279 reported VF cases to the
Arizona Department of Health Services for 2009. Using the CDC
model for calculation of overall infections based on reported
infections, there were over 513,000 people infected with Valley Fever
in the state of Arizona in 2009. For the nation it was over
600,000 cases in 2009.
Our Mission
Statement
Valley Fever Survivor® was
created to educate people everywhere about the potentially
debilitating consequences of a Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis)
infection. For all those who have died or suffered the horrors of this
disease, we have become a voice for action so that others will not have
to suffer
the same fate.
We are working for political action and also to help raise funds for
research. Research projects
are in the works and hopefully they will succeed so there will be a
vaccine and cure for Valley Fever.
Please visit all the pages on this site and take part in our research
questionnaire and surveys.
As a visitor to Arizona in 2001 I knew nothing about the possibilities
of contracting the state's secret "local disease." A week after I
returned home I became ill and it was only a matter of time before I
heard the words “Valley Fever.” I had a titer of 1:64 and
the illness almost took my life. I hope you will read my Valley Fever story.
Our goal is to end this disease’s obscurity. If people think
Valley Fever is nothing to be worried about or have never heard of it,
they are not likely to do anything to protect themselves.
Please fill out the questionnaire and appropriate surveys, and write to
tell us your story. We feel for all the animals suffering as well as
the people. Valley Fever’s toll on the canine population has
become an epidemic. The 1980 estimate of ten million human infections
(from Dr. Stevens' textbook Coccidioidomycosis)
shows this disease has already been an epidemic in humans for decades.
Stories about cocci infections in yourself or your family members, or
even your
dog, cat, horse, etc. are welcomed in the comments section of the questionnaire or
the animal survey.
We would like to include different cases of Valley Fever in our
upcoming books. If you would like to be considered for inclusion please
participate with our web site's questionnaires, surveys, polls, and
message boards. You can also email us at voiceforaction@valleyfeversurvivor.com. Also email us if you are interested in having yourself or a pet included in our upcoming Valley Fever videos.
