title: Call for a California coccidioidomycosis consortium to face the top ten challenges posed by a recalcitrant regional disease.
abstract: Coccidioidomycosis ('Valley Fever'), caused by the inhalation of the fungus Coccidioides, remains a recalcitrant health problem in large parts of California. The incidence and severity of the disease continues to rise in many parts of the state. In this manuscript, we highlight unanswered questions about the disease. Specifically, the extent of disease burden, genetic determinants of host susceptibility, diagnostic and treatment guidelines, natural reservoirs of the pathogens, antifungal drug resistance, and fungal determinants of mild or severe disease are all areas awaiting in depth investigations. We also recommend establishment of a California Coccidioidomycosis Registry to improve clinical care and translational research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Coccidioidomycosis Serology Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA, grthompson@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: George R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Karl V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Clemons
authors.forename: Josh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fierer
authors.forename: Royce H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Vishnu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
mesh_terms: D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003045:Coccidioides / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans