Coccidioidomycosis Among Cast and Crew Members at an Outdoor Television Filming in California, 2012 Workers, employers, and medical providers should recognize that employees can be exposed to Valley Fever even if they are not directly engaged in soil disruptive work. In 2012, more than 4,000 Californians were diagnosed with Valley Fever, a potentially serious disease caused by inhaling fungal spores common in Central and Southern California.
Occupationally acquired Valley Fever most often occurs in people whose work involves digging or working in soil, such as construction workers, military personnel, or archaeologists. However, this study highlights Valley Fever in a group of workers whose occupations do not typically put them at risk of Valley Fever exposure.
The study reports on several members of the cast and crew of a popular TV series who became ill shortly after filming outdoor scenes in Ventura County. Workers, employers, and medical providers should be aware that employees working outdoors in Coccidioides (a fungus that lives in soils)prevalent areas might be exposed to Valley Fever from recent soil disturbances or windy conditions, even if they are not working in the soil.
No comments:
Post a Comment