Coccidioidomycosis Among Persons Attending the World Championship of Model Airplane Flying--Kern County, California, October 2001

On December 4, 2001, CDC was notified by the United Kingdom (UK) Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) of a UK resident aged 72 years who had culture-confirmed coccidioidomycosis (i.e., Valley fever) diagnosed in early December. During October 8-12, the patient had attended the world championship of model airplane flying in Lost Hills, California, located in Kern County in the Central Valley of California, an area where coccidioidomycosis is highly endemic (Figure 1). The patient had influenza-like symptoms on approximately October 25, 1 week after returning from Lost Hills. CDC, in collaboration with UK PHLS and the California Department of Health Services, is conducting an investigation.