Estimating the Exposure-Response Relationship Between Fine Mineral Dust Concentration and Coccidioidomycosis Incidence Using Speciated Particulate Matter Data: A Longitudinal Surveillance Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Balmes J ; Bhattachan A ; Camponuri SK ; Collender P ; Eisen EA ; Head JR ; Heaney AK ; Jain S ; Keeney N ; Okin GS ; Remais JV ; Sondermeyer-Cooksey G ; Strickland MJ ; Taylor J ; Vugia DJ ; Weaver AK ; Yu A
• Description:
  Background: Coccidioidomycosis, caused by inhalation of Coccidioides spp. spores, is an emerging infectious disease that is increasing in incidence throughout the southwestern US. The pathogen is soil-dwelling, and spore dispersal and human exposure are thought to co-occur with airborne mineral dust exposures, yet fundamental exposure-response relationships have not been conclusively estimated. Objectives: We estimated associations between fine mineral dust concentration and coccidioidomycosis incidence in California from 2000 to 2017 at the census tract level, spatiotemporal heterogeneity in exposure-response, and effect modification by antecedent climate conditions. Methods: We acquired monthly census tract-level coccidioidomycosis incidence data and modeled fine mineral dust concentrations from 2000 to 2017. We fitted zero-inflated distributed-lag nonlinear models to estimate overall exposure-lag-response relationships and identified factors contributing to heterogeneity in exposure-responses. Using a random-effects meta-analysis approach, we estimated county-specific and pooled exposure-responses for cumulative exposures. Results: We found a positive exposure-response relationship between cumulative fine mineral dust exposure in the 1-3 months before estimated disease onset and coccidioidomycosis incidence across the study region [incidence rate ratio (IRR) for an increase from 0.1 to 1.1 µg/m3=1.60; 95% CI: 1.46, 1.74]. Positive, supralinear associations were observed between incidence and modeled fine mineral dust exposures 1 [IRR=1.13 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.17)], 2 [IRR=1.15 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.20)] and 3 [IRR=1.08 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.12)] months before estimated disease onset, with the highest exposures being particularly associated. The cumulative exposure-response relationship varied significantly by county [lowest IRR, western Tulare: 1.05 (95% CI: 0.54, 2.07); highest IRR, San Luis Obispo: 3.01 (95% CI: 2.05, 4.42)]. Season of exposure and prior wet winter were modest effect modifiers. Discussion: Lagged exposures to fine mineral dust were strongly associated with coccidioidomycosis incidence in the endemic regions of California from 2000 to 2017. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Dust Epidemiology Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety
• Keywords:
  Coccidioidomycosis Dust Exposure Infectious Diseases Longitudinal Study Mineral Dusts Particulates Surveillance Valley Fever
• ISSN:
  0091-6765
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Dallas Region [OSHA] ; Nevada ; San Francisco Region [OSHA] ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  133
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070601
• Citation:
  Environ Health Perspect 2025 Jan; 133(1):17003
• Contact Point Address:
  Justin V. Remais, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
• Email:
  jvr@berkeley.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  University of California, Berkeley
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Health Perspectives
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:beaad3acb79786568b98be71b07c414c9e074cc669972c4cb293d46dea6ac62722fcc72b7672525a949a657cf600d966c2dbe70852a6a829d328ef32bdc6eccf
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208780/cdc_208780_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 6.62 MB ]