Grantee Research Project Results
2006 Progress Report: A Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) Public Health Decision Support System Based on Climate and Environmental Changes
EPA Grant Number: R832754Title: A Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) Public Health Decision Support System Based on Climate and Environmental Changes
Investigators: Comrie, Andrew C. , Yool, Stephen R.
Institution: University of Arizona
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: December 14, 2005 through December 13, 2007 (Extended to December 13, 2009)
Project Period Covered by this Report: December 14, 2005 through December 13, 2006
Project Amount: $265,004
RFA: Decision Support Systems Involving Climate Change and Public Health (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Climate Change
Objective:
Develop a Valley Fever decision-support system for Arizona. This objective has not changed.
Progress Summary:
Understanding the basis of environmentally-mediated infectious disease is central to the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency. Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) is a disease endemic to arid regions in the Western Hemisphere, and is caused by the soil-dwelling fungi Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. Arizona is currently experiencing an epidemic with >5500 cases in 2006, exceeding significantly other climate-related diseases (e.g., Hantavirus; West Nile Virus). Up to 80 percent of the seasonal variability in Valley Fever is based on antecedent precipitation and atmospheric dust concentrations (Comrie, 2005, Comrie and Glueck, 2007). We developed under the present agreement in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) a public health decision-support system that builds on these findings. In Year 1, we have worked with ADHS to secure human case data for model validation, developed initial climate-satellite-derived data correspondences, and performed initial multi-layer, multi-scale remote sensing based spatial analysis of the surface landscape. The database will serve as a practical reference for health officials and as a model for health information support systems in general. Supporting text and graphics images can be found in the public section of our Project website (http://vf.grd.arizona.edu/cocci/findings Exit ). Please note this site is under construction.
References:
Comrie AC, Glueck MF, (2007). Model Sensitivity for Assessing Climatological Effects on the Risk of Acquiring Coccidioidomycosis, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Annals 1406-024.R1).
Comrie AC, (2005). Climate factors influencing coccidioidomycosis seasonality and outbreaks. Environmental Health Perspectives 113, 688-692.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 29 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
RFA, Health, Air, Scientific Discipline, Ecological Risk Assessment, Health Risk Assessment, Risk Assessments, Atmosphere, Air Pollution Effects, climate change, Environmental Monitoring, ecosystem models, Global Climate Change, air quality modeling, decision making database tool, human exposure, regional climate model, climate models, demographics, ambient air pollution, climatic influence, human health risk, modeling, coccidioidomycosisProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.