California droughts may help valley fever spread
Cases of the dangerous fungal infection spike after rains return
![An illustration shows Coccidioides fungi as chains of rectangular cells](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/090624_eg_coccidioides_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
In California, cases of valley fever, a disease caused by Coccidioides fungi (illustrated), tend to spike in the years following the end of a drought period, a new study suggests.
Stephanie Rossow, MSMI