Windy Season In El Paso Brings Dust, Low Visibility And Disease

It's not just those suffering from allergies that are dreading windy season in El Paso, everybody has a chance at catching Valley Fever and it's no joke.

Coccidioidomycosis, aka Valley Fever, can trigger serious respiratory illness, leave long term after effects and can even be fatal in extreme cases.

All the dust that El Paso's windy season kicks up causes discomfort for just about everybody but this is different. It's not allergens or dust that cause Valley Fever, it's fungus spores getting blown all over.

According to a UTEP report, Valley Fever is caused by a chain reaction of weather conditions including high winds.

What Is And What Causes Valley Fever?

Valley fever is caused by inhaling spores of a soil-dwelling fungus that become airborne under certain environmental conditions.

Their findings show that higher disease incidence was associated with temperatures exceeding 102 degrees Fahrenheit in the prior month, peak wind gusts above 64 miles per hour several months earlier, and unusually high concentrations of dust particles in the air, particularly those that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller. - news-medical.net

READ MORE: El Paso Windy Season Safety Tips

That sure sounds like El Paso over the last month or two, huh? Might not be a bad idea to stay inside and/or break out that old Covid mask.

Valley Fever Gets Misdiagnosed

I have really bad allergies and, when windy season kicks in, it ramps 'em up badly. It's the only time of the year I develop a cough and now, I think I know why. Other family members have been coughing lately too and they don't have allergies as bad as mine.

Although Valley fever is not contagious and is a reportable condition in El Paso County, researchers caution that the disease is likely underdiagnosed. Many cases present with symptoms similar to other illnesses such as influenza, pneumonia or even COVID-19, which can delay proper diagnosis and treatment. - news-medical.net

Bottom line, if those allergies aren't backing off; have your doctor look for Valley Fever. If you have symptoms, but no known allergy condition, then you should TOTALLY have Doc check for this. Sooner is better.

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Gallery Credit: Canva

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Gallery Credit: Eric Ryan/Townsquare Media