[pct-l] Valley Fever

[Marian Harmon]

Robert's right. I grew up in the Antelope Valley (Mojave Desert) --- and
for some reason I still live here. It's a nasty little bugger... I know
quite a few who grew up in the area who have been exposed to this in some
form. Fortunately, if it manages to stay in your lungs, then it's not a
whole lot different than a nasty cold or flu. But, like a bad flu... it can
kill people. The other good news is that most people who are exposed to the
spores never have any symptoms at all.

Honestly, I suspect that Valley Fever is one of the reasons some people
tend to become ill not long after passing through the Tehachapis,
especially those from back east or other countries. Walking right through
the wind and camping on loose soil where some of the spores may lurk is all
it takes.

If you're hiking through the winds... just be cautious and cover your face,
especially your nose and mouth so you don't inhale the spores. This is
especially true if you're seeing dust clouds... and especially if it looks
yellow. It was kind of common knowledge growing up, at least in my circles,
that dust clouds meant going inside...immediately. I know quite a few
people where I live who, when the bad winds pick up, wear N95 face masks,
just like in places that have flu outbreaks. It's not contagious... so if
you're around somebody who picked it up, there's no concern for catching.
You have to breathe in the spores, which are in the dust.

I wouldn't let it really bother you, though... like I said, most people ( I
think I read it was 50-60%) who are exposed to the spores never even get
sick, or if they do... they often mistake it for allergy related issues.
The serious cases are really rare. I only know of one person who got
pneumonia as a result of Valley Fever, and she recovered. If it's a real
concern for you...or if you have any kind of systemic risk (like if you've
had cancer, or  transplant, are diabetic, etc.) it wouldn't hurt to cary a
couple of N95 masks with your first kit.


On Thu, Jan 16, 2014 at 5:48 PM, Robert Henry <rrh.henry at gmail.com> wrote:

> One more thing for you past and future thru hikers to worry about: San
> Joaquin Valley Fever.  When the wind comes as screaming northerly through
> the Tehachipi Mountains, blowing you off your feet, it is carrying dust
> from the San Joaquin Valley.
>
> http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/01/20/140120fa_fact_goodyear
>
> (BTW: I test positive for the disease, but that was well before I hiked the
> PCT.  I was exposed growing up in the CA desert.)
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