What to know
- Presentation Day/Time: Tuesday, April 22, 1:20–2:45 pm
- Presenter: Bethan Swift, DPhil, MSc, EIS officer assigned to the Riverside County Department of Public Health (California)
What did we do?
- During 2019–2023, the age-adjusted rate of disease caused by the Coccidioides fungus rate in Riverside County (California) increased from 13.0/100,000 people to 17.0/100,000 people. We piloted enhanced surveillance to identify opportunities to improve prevention and clinical management efforts.
What did we find?
- We interviewed 112 of 248 people with a coccidioidomycosis case reported. Median interviewee age was 57.5 years, the majority were male and employed, and the most common race and ethnicity was Hispanic.
- Forty percent reported working outdoors daily or most days during the two months preceding illness or testing.
- Sixty-eight percent reported symptoms; 57 (50.9%) were hospitalized and 10 (17.5%) required intensive care unit treatment.
- Interviewees had a median of four interactions with healthcare providers before coccidioidomycosis testing; 46 (41.1%) were prescribed antibiotics.
- Median time from first healthcare encounter to testing was 55 days. When interviewed, 50 (44.6%) had not received notification of their positive result.
Why does it matter?
- Enhanced surveillance revealed that persons with coccidioidomycosis had delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment with antibiotics. Educating medical providers and the community regarding symptoms and treatment might improve health outcomes and promote antimicrobial stewardship.
Abstract Category: Fungal Diseases