Intent to accept a Valley fever vaccine for humans and dogs and factors influencing intended uptake: a cross-sectional survey in two endemic regions

Authors: HERMANN, JULIA - University Of Michigan; KRUGER, SOPHIA - University Of Michigan; WODNIAK, NATALIE - University Of Michigan; HOLLAND, JAMMIE - Texas Tech University; JANOSICK, VERONICA - Texas Tech University; SANCHEZ, ASHLEY - Texas Tech University; ZUNIGA, JULIO - Washington University; BRUCKER, DANA - Valley Fever Institute; TORRES, BIANCA - Valley Fever Institute; MENDOZA-MELO, KENY - Valley Fever Institute; OLIVEROS, EMILSE - Valley Fever Institute; KURAN, RASHA - Valley Fever Institute; D'ASSUMPCAO, CARLOS - Valley Fever Institute; JOHNSON, ROYCE - Valley Fever Institute; Van Pelt, Robert; BHATTACHAN, ABINASH - Texas Tech University; WAGNER, ABRAM - University Of Michigan; HEAD, JENNIFER - University Of Michigan

Submitted to: The Journal of Fungi
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2026
Publication Date: 6/10/2026
Citation: Hermann, J., Kruger, S.E., Wodniak, N., Holland, J., Janosick, V., Sanchez, A., Zuniga, J., Brucker, D., Torres, B., Mendoza-Melo, K., Oliveros, E., Kuran, R., D'Assumpcao, C., Johnson, R., Van Pelt, R.S., Bhattachan, A., Wagner, A., Head, J.R. 2026. Intent to accept a Valley fever vaccine for humans and dogs and factors influencing intended uptake: a cross-sectional survey in two endemic regions. The Journal of Fungi. 12:6. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12060420.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12060420

Interpretive Summary: The soil is home to myriad life including plant and animal pathogens. Coccidioides spp. is a human and animal pathogen endemic to many soils in arid and semiarid regions of the western hemisphere. Coccidioides spp. causes a disease known colloquially as Valley fever, an often catastrophic illness that may be fatal in some cases. This disease is well known where it is most common and it is a reportable disease in states such as California and Arizona. However, in Texas, it is not a disease which must be reported to public health agencies and is often misdiagnosed. As part of a field blood antibody investigation conducted in West Texas and California, a pre-test survey revealed that willingness to vaccinate against the disease may be related to public knowledge of the disease. Participants in California were more than twice as willing to self vaccinate themselves than participants in Texas and the Californians were even more willing to vaccinate their dogs than Texans.

Technical Abstract: Coccidioidomycosis (also known as Valley fever), a disease with incidence reaching over 200 cases per 100,000 population in the most endemic areas, poses a significant burden on both health systems and personal finances, with average healthcare costs for Valley fever diagnoses often exceeding $23,000 per individual. Recently, a live avirulent Valley fever vaccine candidate was found to be efficacious in reducing disease severity among dogs and is currently progressing toward Phase 1 trials in humans. Yet, a key challenge to the eventual introduction of a human vaccine is understanding and addressing vaccine hesitancy. In this study, we explored the intent to accept a Valley fever vaccine for humans and dogs in two diverse populations living in highly endemic regions for Valley fever: employees at Valley Fever Institute in Bakersfield, California and members of the general public in the Permian Basin ecological area of West Texas. Using answers to a participant-facing questionnaire, we assessed the weighted proportions of each population willing to vaccinate themselves and their dogs against demographic and coccidioidomycosis risk factors from the questionnaire, the association of these factors with willingness, and the importance of vaccine-related factors on vaccine uptake in each population. We found a high level of willingness to self-vaccinate in Bakersfield (76%, 95% CI: 63%-85%), while West Texas participants were far less willing (43%, 95% CI: 35%-50%). Participants in West Texas were more willing to vaccinate their dogs (50%, 95% CI: 41%-58%), but not as willing as participants in Bakersfield (74%, CI: 58%-86%). Across both study populations, factors increasing willingness to self-vaccinate included no vaccine side effects, easy access to vaccination sites, the opportunity for vaccination to make engagement in outdoor activities safer, if the vaccine was doctor-recommended, and if the vaccine were free. As vaccination willingness differed between our two study populations in endemic areas, vaccine planners and state and local public health educators can use our findings to expand disease awareness campaigns in areas and among cohorts wherein awareness may be low, train physicians and providers to recommend vaccination, and prepare to ensure equitable access.