Diseases in desert dust
Valley Fever is traditionally thought to only be a risk in the far southwest of the United States, barely including southern Utah’s desert. However, in 2001, archeologists were diagnosed after digging at a site in northeastern Utah. This raises concern, especially in the context of increased dust and soil spread from a shrinking Great Salt Lake, over what diseases could be spread from dust in northern Utah.
Valley Fever is caused by the fungus Coccidioides, which is found and spread through spores in soil and dust. “Coccidioides grows in soils in areas of low rainfall, high summer temperatures and moderate winter temperatures, such as the southwestern United States,” a University of Arizona College of Medicine page describes. It is not contagious from person to person, but only through the dust/spoil.
Climate change is expected to increase the spread of the fungus. The most notable impact of climate change in the west is what’s been coined the ‘mega-drought,’ which has consisted of decades of extreme heat and dwindling moisture, perfect conditions for dust storms. Predictions from a Washington Post map show the fungus exposure area nearly completely covering Utah between 2035 and 2065.
The most immediate solution for northern Utah is to ensure water is getting to Great Salt Lake. This includes improving irrigation methods for farms, as other Western states have done, and updating outdated policies that promote water waste. Utah farmers are often prompted to use more water than they need so they don’t lose water rights in the future.
The more long term solution, of course, is to work on combating climate change by reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Valley fever isn’t the only concern as drought persists and more dust is exposed. Other diseases that can be spread by microorganisms in desert dust include: pneumonia (from multiple, different infectious agents) SARS, meningitis, COVID, and tuberculosis.
Immediate spread of disease is not the only threat to human health during drought. Reports show that exposure to PM 2.5 reduces immune system function, making residents more susceptible to a slew of illnesses.
Another report discusses the increasing incidence of sand storms and their impact on human health, particularly on respiratory diseases. Sand dust, carried over long distances by these storms, contains various harmful components such as silicate minerals, carbonates, oxides, sulfates, salts, organic nitrogen, and even anthropogenic pollutants. These particles, ranging from 2 to 20 μm in diameter, pose a significant health risk upon inhalation.