Disease Trends in Phoenix, Arizona - Marie Passey

I am interested in infectious diseases and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, so I thought it would interesting to see what diseases are prevalent from where I come from. I contacted James Lucas, an epidemiologist for the Phoenix Health Department. He spoke to me about the five top trends in diseases that he’s encountered.

Trend #1 – One disease that has been trending in Phoenix, Arizona is one called Valley Fever. Also called Coccidioidomycosis, it is caused by fungus spores that are present in the soil. When  fungus spores that are present in the soil. When the airborne spores are inhaled, they cause a fungal infection. For people that are healthy, there are usually no symptoms; however, Valley Fever can cause severe lung disease in people that have weakened immune systems. Valley Fever is most commonly seen in the desert regions of the southwestern United States, and in Central and South America (Valley, 2012).

Trend #2 – Another disease trending in Phoenix is Shigellosis. This is an infectious disease that caused by the Shigella bacteria group such as Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri, and Shigella dysenteriae (Shigella, 2012). Many people contract this disease from direct contact with other people that carry Shigella, from contaminated foods, and from contaminated water. It is most commonly seen in day care centers and group living places (Shigella, 2012). Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and acute fever, and is treated by replacing fluids and electroylytes lost in diarrhea (Shigella, 2012).

Trend #3 – Salmonellosis is another enteric disease that has been trending in Phoenix. It is caused by the bacterial group Salmonella and causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Many people contract this disease by eating contaminated food such as turkey, chicken, or eggs that have not been cooked well or stored properly (Salmonella, 2012). People with weakened immune systems are also more likely to get this disease, as well as people who work in health care facilities or have pets such as iguanas, lizards, turtles, or snakes (Salmonella, 2012). Most of the people who are affected by Salmonella are usually under 20 years old.

Trend #4 – One disease that has also been trending is Hepatitis A. This is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. Many people contract this disease from eating or drinking contaminated by stools containing the virus (Hepatitis, 2011). An example of food that has been found to carry the virus includes shellfish, vegetables, and fruits. Many people that come down with this disease usually work in the healthcare, food, or sewage industry, or live in a rehab center or nursing home.

Trend #5 – Lastly, another disease that has been trending in Phoenix is Tuberculosis. It is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (2012). It is transmitted mainly by air, especially from aerosolized droplets from a cough or a sneeze from an infected person. Tuberculosis causes people to develop a contagious bacterial infection in the lungs, and this infection can affect other parts of the body. Many people who are affected by the disease are the elderly, infants, and people with weakened immune systems, especially people with AIDs, diabetes, or immune weakening medicines (Tuberculosis, 2012).

Citations:

Hepatitis A. (2011). National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001323/

Salmonella. (2012). National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001339/

Shigella. (2012). National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001340/

Tuberculosis. (2012). National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001141/

Valley Fever. (2012). National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002299/