NBC News
Monday
Valley fever, historically found only in the Southwest, is spreading. It can have devastating consequences.
Scientists have been trying to develop a vaccine for Valley fever since the 1960s. Tests of one candidate in the 1980s didn’t work well. However, in recent years, University of Arizona researchers led by Lisa Shubitz at the Valley Fever Center for Excellence developed a vaccine that's highly effective in dogs. While an approved Valley fever vaccine for humans remains years away, clinical trials may not be far off. "I'm really quite hopeful," said Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence. "In my view, right now, we do have a candidate that deserves to be evaluated and I think will probably be effective, and we'll be using it."