Dogs are helping researchers track the spread of a dangerous disease in Calif.

"Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is caused by inhaling spores in soil and causes flu-like symptoms."

"In California, cases of the disease have spiked by more than 1,200% in just 25 years. And in the past two years, cases have climbed to record levels with 7,613 reported human cases as of Aug. 31 compared to 4,419 in 2023, according to the California Department of Public Health."

"We looked at peaks, so spikes in case numbers in dogs over time, and we correlated that with spikes in human cases in Arizona and California, and the curves almost completely overlaid one another," Sykes said during a phone call with SFGATE."

"That was another just amazing discovery, like probably one of the most thrilling discoveries I think I've ever been involved in in my research career, just to see that dogs were telling us so much about this disease in people," Sykes said."

Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) results from inhaling fungal spores in soil and produces flu-like symptoms that can progress to severe systemic illness and, rarely, death. California has seen human cases surge dramatically, rising more than 1,200% over 25 years and reaching record counts in the past two years. Mapping canine cases has revealed unexpected geographic hotspots and temporal peaks that closely align with human case curves in Arizona and California. Dogs are highly vulnerable because they dig in soil where the fungus lives. The disease is not spread person-to-person, and diagnosis in a pet may indicate shared exposure for owners. Initial symptoms include fever, cough, and fatigue; dissemination can cause joint pain, severe headaches, and skin lesions.

Read at SFGATE