Figure 11.

Conceptual model of environmental exposure pathways for Valley fever. (A) Undisturbed natural landscape with intact soil and diverse vegetation, including native species. Coccidioides growth supported, but few arthroconidia airborne (indicated as white, small, oval-shaped objects with black dots). (B) Freshly disturbed natural landscape with reduced or no vegetation. Coccidioides growth supported with increased airborne arthroconidia. Vehicle traffic, off-road biking, construction, as well as oil drilling are factors that highly erode soils. (C) Aged disturbed landscape with reduced or altered vegetation, such as agricultural fields under management, orchards with suppressed vegetation between trees, or dairy farms with high manure contamination of the soil. Coccidioides growth is inhibited and few arthroconidia become airborne.