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 650,000 cases in 2009.
Now for the latest outrage! The CDC will no longer be monitoring coccidioidomycosis case reporting in their major publications for other doctors or citizens to follow. CDC professionals told Valley Fever Survivor they would prefer VF remained nationally reportable but they only collect data from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The CSTE has stopped its national reporting of Valley Fever starting this year, 2010.

The decision may cut marginal costs, but the decrease in publicity hurts everyone who has Valley Fever, is working on a vaccine for Valley Fever, or knows about the devastation Valley Fever causes every year. With the severity of the ongoing epidemic, people need to know more about Valley Fever, not to make the information even harder to come by. We are presently looking into what can be done to make it a nationally reportable disease again.

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. More information and news will be coming in the future.

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.

Thank you,

Sharon Filip
Founder of valleyfeversurvivor.com