The 1977 San Joaquin Valley Disaster Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What caused the dusty conditions in the San Joaquin Valley in 1977 December 20th?

  • Rainfall and runoff creating mud and dusty conditions
  • A sudden sandstorm caused by a seismic event
  • Strong wind blowing loose topsoil and mustard-colored dust into the sky (correct)
  • A volcanic eruption in the Great Basin

    • What was the impact of the dust plume on the surrounding areas?

  • It caused heavy rainfall and flooding in the region
  • It triggered a series of tornadoes in the San Joaquin Valley
  • It led to a sudden drop in temperature and frost in Bakersfield
  • It blotted out the sun four counties away and stopped traffic on Highway 5 (correct)

    • How far did the dust plume travel from Bakersfield to the north?

  • Four hundred miles to Sacramento (correct)
  • Two hundred miles to Fresno
  • Six hundred miles to Redding
  • One thousand miles to Portland

    • What marked the end of the drought in Sacramento?

    <p>Rain turning the dust to mud, coating cars and sidewalks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is coccidioidomycosis commonly known as?

    <p>Valley fever</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is Coccidioides immitis found?

    <p>The desert south west such as Arizona, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, and semi arid parts of Central and South America</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do the endospores of C. immitis travel in the body?

    <p>Through blood and lymph systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the treatment for cocci meningitis?

    <p>Amphotericin B</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is the Cocci endemic?

    <p>Desert Southwest and parts of Central and South America</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How are C. immitis spores dispersed?

    <p>Dry, hot, windy conditions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of valley fever on its endemic populations compared to other diseases?

    <p>Equal to the impact of polio or chicken pox before the vaccines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many cases of valley fever were recorded from 1998 to 2011 according to the Centers for Disease Control?

    <p>Tenfold increase in reported cases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of infected people are symptomatic?

    <p>Forty percent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do the signs of valley fever compare to the flu?

    <p>Hard to distinguish</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the common method to administer anti-fungal treatment for valley fever patients?

    <p>Base of the skull</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of climate change on the dispersal of valley fever?

    <p>Intensifies dry, hot, windy conditions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the mother limit for her children?

    <p>Outdoor time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was found on the dashboard inside the car?

    <p>A pair of her daughter’s footprints smudged the dust</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Lauer plan to do with the data?

    <p>Include only those spots where permission to sample was obtained</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What natural disaster affected the San Joaquin Valley in 1977?

    <p>Dust storm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How far did the dust plume travel from Bakersfield to Sacramento?

    <p>400 miles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the impact of the dust plume on Sacramento?

    <p>It created a murky haze</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What marked the end of the drought in Sacramento?

    <p>Rain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the cause of coccidioidomycosis, also known as valley fever?

    <p>Inhaling the microscopic spores of Coccidioides immitis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when C. immitis spores reach the end of the bronchioles in the lungs?

    <p>They lodge deep and circle up into a spherule</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main reason behind the rise in infections of valley fever?

    <p>Stirring up the soil during digging, building, and drilling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is most susceptible to severe and life-threatening forms of valley fever?

    <p>Elderly and immune-compromised individuals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the treatment for cocci meningitis?

    <p>Administering an anti-fungal called amphotericin B</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of valley fever on its endemic populations compared to other diseases?

    <p>Equal to the impact of polio or chicken pox before the vaccines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is valley fever endemic?

    <p>Desert Southwest and semi-arid parts of Central and South America</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common method of contracting valley fever?

    <p>Inhaling the spores of C. immitis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the percentage of infected people who are symptomatic?

    <p>Forty percent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of valley fever on its endemic populations?

    <p>Equal to the impact of polio or chicken pox before the vaccines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the range of valley fever's impact compared to West Nile virus?

    <p>Much more destructive</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is the C. immitis fungus found?

    <p>In the desert Southwest and semi-arid parts of Central and South America</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary cause of valley fever?

    <p>A soil-dwelling fungus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the treatment for disseminated cocci meningitis?

    <p>Administering anti-fungal medication through spinal taps</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has contributed to the rise of valley fever infections?

    <p>Climate change</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When does valley fever season in California peak?

    <p>Fall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of population growth in areas like Phoenix on valley fever?

    <p>Increases the risk of infection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes the spread of the valley fever fungus more intense in the region?

    <p>Dry, hot, and windy conditions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of valley fever on policymakers?

    <p>It is often ignored by policymakers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the status of a vaccine or cure for severe cases of valley fever?

    <p>No vaccine or cure is available</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the characteristics of C. immitis spores?

    <p>Small, easily fragmented, and can lodge deep in the lungs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the geographic range where valley fever is endemic?

    <p>Desert Southwest and semi-arid parts of Central and South America</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the long-term health implications of valley fever?

    <p>Can cause long-term health problems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What causes coccidioidomycosis, also known as valley fever?

    <p>Inhaling microscopic spores of Coccidioides immitis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is the Coccidioides immitis fungus found?

    <p>Bakersfield</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when the C. immitis spores reach the end of the bronchioles in the lungs?

    <p>They lodge deep and can't be breathed out</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of valley fever on people with weakened immune systems?

    <p>It can take over and spread anywhere in the body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the cause of coccidioidomycosis, also known as valley fever?

    <p>Inhaling the microscopic spores of Coccidioides immitis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is the C. immitis fungus found?

    <p>Bakersfield</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when the C. immitis spores reach the end of the bronchioles in the lungs?

    <p>They lodge deep and can't be breathed out</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the C. immitis fungus spread in the body?

    <p>Through the blood and lymph systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Valley Fever: A Deadly Disease Spreading in the Southwest

    • Sacramento County recorded over a hundred cases of valley fever in a few weeks, with six fatalities, a significant increase from previous years.
    • Coccidioides immitis is a soil-dwelling fungus found in Bakersfield, causing valley fever when its spores are inhaled.
    • C. immitis spores are small, easily fragmented, and can lodge deep in the lungs, leading to acute inflammation disrupting blood flow.
    • The disease can spread through the blood and lymph systems and cause long-term health problems, with a small subset of patients suffering from disseminated cocci meningitis.
    • Treatment for cocci meningitis involves administering anti-fungal medication, amphotericin B, through spinal taps, and can be brutal.
    • Valley fever is endemic to the desert Southwest and semi-arid parts of Central and South America, with infections on the rise due to climate change.
    • The disease is often ignored by policymakers despite its significant impact, with a tenfold increase in reported cases from 1998 to 2011.
    • Valley fever is the second most reported disease in Arizona, with no vaccine or cure available for the most severe cases.
    • The elderly, immune-compromised, pregnant women, African-Americans, and Filipinos are most susceptible to severe forms of the disease.
    • The population growth in areas like Phoenix has led to more people without acquired immunity, increasing the risk of infection.
    • Valley fever season in California peaks in the fall, with the fungus notoriously hard to find in the ground, making it difficult to discern patterns of its presence.
    • The disease has been considered an occupational hazard for oil workers, and the spread of the fungus is intensified by dry, hot, and windy conditions in the region.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge of California history and weather events with this quiz on the 1977 San Joaquin Valley disaster. See how much you know about the drought conditions, weather patterns, and the impact on agricultural land in central California.

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