The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a surveillance report on three fungal diseases: coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis. The report describes cases that occurred in the United States during 2019. Its purpose is to track where these infections are found and how many people get them each year.
This report is based on data collected from state and local health departments. It does not involve a specific study with patients or test any treatments. Instead, it summarizes the cases that were reported to health officials in 2019.
No safety concerns or new risks are discussed because this is not a treatment study. The main reason to be careful is that this report only describes what was reported; it does not explain why cases happen or how to prevent them. It also cannot tell us if these diseases are becoming more or less common over time.
Readers should see this as a routine update from public health officials. It helps doctors and researchers understand the landscape of these fungal infections. For the general public, it's a reminder that these diseases exist in certain parts of the country, but the report does not suggest any new actions people need to take.