While many national and local news outlets focus on the spread of Ebola, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) assured his constituents that he remains focused on a similarly perplexing illness more prevalent in the arid Central Valley of California.
In his weekly update published on the “Bakersfield Observed” blog, McCarthy said while he shares the concern about Ebola reaching the United States, he also wants to change the “seemingly helpless fight” against a fungal infection called Valley Fever.
“For decades, so many of our neighbors were stricken with an illness that could not be identified or treated with any certainty that one would be fully healed. Much of the country outside of the Valley, including the medical community, was virtually unaware of it,” McCarthy wrote. “This led to frustration and concern in our communities over the seemingly helpless fight. It left us with only the blind hope that a loved one wouldn’t contract the disease.”
McCarthy notes that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fast-tracked a potential treatment drug, nikkomycin Z, into clinical trials. He also said he will continue to work with Kat DeBurgh, who was recently announced as the executive director of the Health Officers Association of California. DeBurgh has been developing a continuing medical education (CME) program on Valley Fever.
“A Valley Fever CME raises awareness of this disease with medical providers, helping them make earlier diagnoses that can potentially reduce the length and severity of Valley Fever in patients,” McCarthy wrote. “I look forward to continuing to work with Ms. DeBurgh on Valley Fever and other important public health issues in the Central Valley and California.”
McCarthy said data will continue to be collected on the potential treatment, but the progress made to date is notable.
“Progress alone toward curing a disease that was largely off the radar of health officials no more than four years ago gives us reason to be optimistic that our neighbors who are suffering from the disease could soon find relief and that future generations will not have to resort to hope alone in the fight against Valley Fever,” he wrote.