How pesticide use may change Valley fever risk
Exploratory study of pesticide use and coccidioidomycosis
This project looks at whether pesticides used near homes and farms change the chance of getting Valley fever for people who live or work in affected parts of California.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330496 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will combine long-term pesticide records, reported Valley fever cases, and environmental soil testing to look for patterns that could affect you or your community. They focus on fungicides and rodenticides and will use monthly data from 2000–2023 across California, comparing agricultural and non-agricultural soils. Mapping pesticide applications at the level of census tracts and individual residences will let them compare local pesticide use with nearby case counts and soil tests for Coccidioides. The goal is to spot times or places where pesticide use seems linked to more or fewer Valley fever cases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who live or work outdoors in California’s Valley fever endemic areas—especially agricultural workers and residents near documented pesticide applications—are the most relevant population for this work.
Not a fit: Individuals outside California or those with Valley fever caused by non-environmental exposures are unlikely to see direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify specific pesticide practices that raise or lower local Valley fever risk, informing land management and worker protections.
How similar studies have performed: Some ecological and environmental studies have linked land use and microbes, but direct links between pesticide use and Valley fever are largely novel and not yet established.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parsonnet, Julie — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Parsonnet, Julie
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.