Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press - Thursday, December 12, 1996 14:02:00 PM.
The number of cases of valley fever in Arizona jumped from 255 in 1990 to 623 last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. Valley fever caused 134 deaths in Arizona from 1990 to 1994; figures for 1995 aren't available.
Arizona's recent weather patterns and changing demographics are to blame, said the CDC's Dr. Rana Hajjeh.
Valley fever begins as a fungus that grows in the ground, usually after heavy rains. Long dry spells cause the fungus to become airborne, where it is inhaled.
Also, the number of people 65 or older and those who have tested positive for the AIDS virus increased in Arizona from 1990 to 1995.
The disease is called valley fever because it is often found in the dusty soil of the Southwest, Mexico and Central and South America.
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