Advances in vaccine technology - pioneering a preventive for Valley Fever in dogs (On Demand)

Course overview

Coccidioidomycosis, also known as "Valley Fever," is a systemic fungal disease caused by the Coccidioides spp. soil fungi, C. posadasii and C. immitis. Coccidioidomycosis causes a great deal of morbidity and mortality in affected patients and can also infect humans. To date, the only available prevention for this disease is avoidance of endemic areas. Progress is being made towards development of a viable systemic vaccine against Coccidioides spp. in the dog. In this program, we will review the increasing geographic spread of Valley Fever, our current understanding of the protective host immune response to Coccidioides spp. infection and review scientific studies leading us towards a potential vaccine to prevent the disease in dogs.