Valley fever is hitting California harder than ever before, with a record-breaking 12,600 cases reported in 2024—a sharp rise fueled in part by climate change, which is expanding the range of the fungus responsible for the illness.
One striking example of the disease’s severity is Brynn Carrigan, a public health official from Bakersfield, California, who went from marathon training and raising two teenagers to being completely bedridden within weeks.
In April 2024, Carrigan began suffering from persistent headaches that quickly escalated. “I went from training for a marathon, raising two teenagers, and having a job to essentially being bedridden,” said the 41-year-old Kern County Public Health employee.
The intense headaches were accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity so severe that even the glow of her microwave clock was unbearable. Despite multiple hospital visits, doctors struggled to identify the cause—until a third hospitalization, when a key question finally steered the diagnosis in the right direction: Had she experienced respiratory issues before the headaches began?
California could face another record-breaking year of Valley fever fungal infection. Drier summers and wetter winters are expanding the range of the fungus. The same conditions drive increasingly intense wildfires.https://t.co/XN6KVSy91r
— 🌏PEACE✌️☮️🕊♻️☘️#WeThePeople #NoToOligarchy (@PeaceOutPeaceIn) May 20, 2025
Carrigan recalled having a lingering cough and cold weeks earlier, along with a rash on her thighs. These symptoms eventually led to a diagnosis of coccidioidal meningitis, a rare but severe form of Valley fever that affects the brain.
What Is Valley Fever?
Valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis, is caused by inhaling Coccidioides fungi, which live in dry, dusty soils—especially in the American Southwest. When the soil is disturbed, the spores can become airborne and inhaled, causing infection.
While many experience mild or flu-like symptoms, some—like Carrigan—develop serious complications, including meningitis.
Climate Change and the Expanding Threat
Experts warn that climate change is worsening the spread of Valley fever. As dry, arid conditions extend further eastward across the U.S., the range of the fungus grows with it.
Historically confined to parts of California and Arizona, Valley fever is now being reported in new regions, with rising case numbers across the Western United States.
In California, annual cases between 2000 and 2016 typically ranged from 1,500 to 5,500. However, from 2017 to 2023, numbers climbed to between 7,700 and 9,000 annually. Now, in 2024, the state is facing a staggering 12,600 cases—3,000 more than in 2023, according to NBC News.
A Growing Public Health Concern
The increase in Valley fever cases highlights a growing public health challenge, especially as climate conditions shift and new regions become vulnerable.
Carrigan’s experience serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly the disease can escalate—and how important it is for both the public and healthcare professionals to be aware of the symptoms, especially in high-risk areas.