Coccidioidomycosis among Workers Constructing Solar Power Farms, California, USA, 2011–2014

Wilken, Jason A.; Sondermeyer, Gail; Shusterman, Dennis; McNary, Jennifer; Vugia, Duc J.; McDowell, Ann; Borenstein, Penny; Gilliss, Debra; Ancock, Benedict; Prudhomme, Janice C.; Gold, Deborah T.; Windham, Gayle C.; Lee, Lauren; Materna, Barbara L.

doi:10.3201/eid2111.150129

Cited by 46 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Individuals directly disturbing the soil have a high risk of contracting valley fever. Soil disturbance from construction sites (California Department of Public Health, ; Wilken et al, ), military training (Smith, Beard, Rosenberger, et al, ), archaeological digs (Perera et al, ; Petersen et al, ; Werner & Pappagianis, ), and film shoots (Wilken et al, ) have been associated with valley fever outbreaks. Dust storms have also been correlated with increased incidence in a few, highly endemic Arizona counties (Tong et al, ) and have caused localized outbreaks of valley fever in California (Williams et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coccidioidomycosis Dynamics in Relation to Climate in the Southwestern United States

et al. 2018

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Valley fever is endemic to the southwestern United States. Humans contract this fungal disease by inhaling spores of Coccidioides spp. Changes in the environment can influence the abundance and dispersal of Coccidioides spp., causing fluctuations in valley fever incidence. We combined county‐level case records from state health agencies to create a regional valley fever database for the southwestern United States, including Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. We used this data set to explore how environmental factors influenced the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of valley fever incidence during 2000–2015. We compiled climate and environmental geospatial data sets from multiple sources to compare with valley fever incidence. These variables included air temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, surface dust concentration, normalized difference vegetation index, and cropland area. We found that valley fever incidence was greater in areas with warmer air temperatures and drier soils. The mean annual cycle of incidence varied throughout the southwestern United States and peaked following periods of low precipitation and soil moisture. From year‐to‐year, however, autumn incidence was higher following cooler, wetter, and productive springs in the San Joaquin Valley of California. In southcentral Arizona, incidence increased significantly through time. By 2015, incidence in this region was more than double the rate in the San Joaquin Valley. Our analysis provides a framework for interpreting the influence of climate change on valley fever incidence dynamics. Our results may allow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve their estimates of the spatial pattern and intensity of valley fever endemicity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coccidioidomycosis Dynamics in Relation to Climate in the Southwestern United States

et al. 2018

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“…Furthermore, outbreaks often reveal emerging areas of concern that apply to IFIs in general. These topics include IFIs in new populations at risk due to factors such as travel or relocation, occupation, or immunosuppression; 37,39,57 IFIs associated with unusual events and sources such as natural disasters 43,45 and contaminated medications, often with unexpected pathogens; 68,71,72 and fungal pathogens appearing in geographic regions in which they have not been previously recognised. 22,31 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…36 Similarly, during 2011–14, a large outbreak of 44 coccidioidomycosis cases occurred among workers who were constructing two solar power farms in San Luis Obispo County (CA, USA). 37 Interviews with the affected workers (many of whom came from non-endemic areas and might have lacked immunity to coccidioides) revealed that 58% reported frequently performing soil disruption activities, but of those, only a quarter frequently used respiratory protection. 37 Recommendations to prevent additional cases included improving dust control methods at construction sites and provision of appropriate respiratory protection; however, evidence is limited regarding whether these methods reduce coccidioidomycosis risk.…”

Section: Community-acquired Fungal Disease Outbreaksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…37 Interviews with the affected workers (many of whom came from non-endemic areas and might have lacked immunity to coccidioides) revealed that 58% reported frequently performing soil disruption activities, but of those, only a quarter frequently used respiratory protection. 37 Recommendations to prevent additional cases included improving dust control methods at construction sites and provision of appropriate respiratory protection; however, evidence is limited regarding whether these methods reduce coccidioidomycosis risk. 37 Similar prevention methods have also been attempted in other settings, including prisons in highly endemic areas of California.…”

Section: Community-acquired Fungal Disease Outbreaksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…37 Recommendations to prevent additional cases included improving dust control methods at construction sites and provision of appropriate respiratory protection; however, evidence is limited regarding whether these methods reduce coccidioidomycosis risk. 37 Similar prevention methods have also been attempted in other settings, including prisons in highly endemic areas of California. Despite use of these methods and exclusion of inmates at highest risk for coccidioidomycosis complications from eight prisons in California’s Central Valley beginning in 2006, 38 coccidioidomycosis rates remained high in subsequent years.…”

Section: Community-acquired Fungal Disease Outbreaksmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Emerging issues, challenges, and changing epidemiology of fungal disease outbreaks

Benedict

Richardson

Vallabhaneni

et al. 2017

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

105

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Several high-profile outbreaks have drawn attention to invasive fungal infections (IFIs) as an increasingly important public health problem. IFI outbreaks are caused by many different fungal pathogens and are associated with numerous settings and sources. In the community, IFI outbreaks often occur among people without predisposing medical conditions and are frequently precipitated by environmental disruption. Health-care-associated IFI outbreaks have been linked to suboptimal hospital environmental conditions, transmission via health-care workers’ hands, contaminated medical products, and transplantation of infected organs. Outbreak investigations provide important insights into the epidemiology of IFIs, uncover risk factors for infection, and identify opportunities for preventing similar events in the future. Well recognised challenges with IFI outbreak recognition, response, and prevention include the need for improved rapid diagnostic methods, the absence of routine surveillance for most IFIs, adherence to infection control practices, and health-care provider awareness. Additionally, IFI outbreak investigations have revealed several emerging issues, including new populations at risk because of travel or relocation, occupation, or immunosuppression; fungal pathogens appearing in geographical areas in which they have not been previously recognised; and contaminated compounded medications. This report highlights notable IFI outbreaks in the past decade, with an emphasis on these emerging challenges in the USA.

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Health and Safety Issues of New Energy Technologies

Heramb¹

2021

Patty's Industrial Hygiene

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The demand for electricity is growing, and the generation of electricity is being transformed as renewable sources are increasingly replacing burning of fossil fuels to reduce emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Solar electric and wind‐generated power are two of the fastest‐growing renewable sources, while other technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells are also being adopted. Microgrids are feasible to better distribute renewable generation for smaller communities. But electricity storage at night must be used to take advantage of daytime generation. Storage with lead‐acid batteries has been matched and surpassed by batteries with higher energy densities and other desirable characteristics, such as lithium‐ion and vanadium redox flow batteries. These new energy technologies provide benefits but also pose chemical and other hazards during steps of their life cycles. Industrial hygienists and others are being challenged to understand and manage risks of new energy technologies that can affect workers and members of the communities. This chapter provides a basic introduction to these technologies to assist professionals in anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling the potential health and safety risks. For this quickly evolving field, it is important to review in depth available references and stay abreast of risk assessment, engineering, policy, and management developments affecting new energy technologies.

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Coccidioidomycosis among Workers Constructing Solar Power Farms, California, USA, 2011–2014

Abstract: In Coccidioides-endemic areas, effective exposure-reduction measures are needed. Coccidioidomycosis and Solar Power Farms

Cited by 46 publications

References 13 publications

Coccidioidomycosis Dynamics in Relation to Climate in the Southwestern United States

Coccidioidomycosis Dynamics in Relation to Climate in the Southwestern United States

Emerging issues, challenges, and changing epidemiology of fungal disease outbreaks

Health and Safety Issues of New Energy Technologies

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