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

Publisher: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0330411 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1552-9924 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00916765 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Environ Health Perspect Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: Research Triangle Park, N. C. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Coccidioidomycosis*/epidemiology ; Dust*/analysis ; Particulate Matter*/analysis ; Environmental Exposure*/statistics & numerical data; Humans ; California/epidemiology ; Incidence ; Longitudinal Studies ; Air Pollutants/analysis ; Minerals ; Coccidioides

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   μ g / m 3 = 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. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13875.

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R01 AI148336 United States AI NIAID NIH HHS; T42 OH008429 United States OH NIOSH CDC HHS

0 (Dust)
0 (Particulate Matter)
0 (Air Pollutants)
0 (Minerals)

Date Created: 20250113 Date Completed: 20250113 Latest Revision: 20250116

20250117

PMC11729455

10.1289/EHP13875

39804964