Using soil survey data to model potential Coccidioides soil habitat and inform Valley fever epidemiology.

ABSTRACT: Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley fever, is a disease that can result in substantial illness and death. It is most common in the southwestern United States and areas of Latin America with arid climates, though reports increasingly suggest its range is wider than previously recognized. The natural habitat of the causative organisms, Coccidioides spp., have been associated with certain soil properties and climatic conditions. Current understanding of its geographic range is primarily defined by skin test studies and outbreak locations. We developed a fuzzy system model to predict suitable soil habitats for Coccidioides across the western United States based on parameters (electrical conductivity, organic matter content, pH, water holding capacity, temperature, and precipitation) from

SUBMITTER: Dobos RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7894876 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature