Coccidioidomycosis among workers at an archeological site, northeastern Utah

Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Apr;10(4):637-42. doi: 10.3201/eid1004.030446.

Abstract

In 2001, an outbreak of acute respiratory disease occurred among persons working at a Native American archeological site at Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah. Epidemiologic and environmental investigations were undertaken to determine the cause of the outbreak. A clinical case was defined by the presence of at least two of the following symptoms: self-reported fever, shortness of breath, or cough. Ten workers met the clinical case definition; 9 had serologic confirmation of coccidioidomycosis, and 8 were hospitalized. All 10 were present during sifting of dirt through screens on June 19; symptoms began 9-12 days later (median 10). Coccidioidomycosis also developed in a worker at the site in September 2001. A serosurvey among 40 other Dinosaur National Monument workers did not find serologic evidence of recent infection. This outbreak documents a new endemic focus of coccidioidomycosis, which extends northward its known geographic distribution in Utah by approximately 200 miles.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Archaeology*
  • Coccidioidomycosis / epidemiology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Utah / epidemiology