Valley fever center lands $4.5M grant

Valley fever research in Arizona just received a funding shot in the arm.

The Tucson-based Valley Fever Center for Excellence, part of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, has been awarded a five-year, $4.5 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases to study the lung disease, which is caused by a soil-dwelling fungus.

"I think (the award) really shows where we've come," said Dr. John Galgiani, the center's director, in the Arizona Daily Star. "It's really a mark in the sand. Now, we can put together a full program project like this with all the work being done at one institution."

The center, located at the Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System's facility, was established in 1995 to promote education, research, and patient care for valley fever.

Valley fever is common in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and recent findings suggest it is on the rise in recent years.

According to figures released by the Arizona Department of Health Services and reported in the Arizona Republic, the number of cases in Arizona has grown more than 600 percent since 1992, reaching a current incidence of 57 people per 100,000 Arizona residents.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases is part of the National Institutes of Health.

For more information:

"UA wins $4.5 million federal grant to study valley fever," Arizona Republic, 06/12/2004

"Valley Fever Center wins $4.5M grant," Arizona Daily Star, 06/22/2004