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| For Immediate Release | Contact: Frances Squire |
| March 9, 2009 | Phone: (559) 934-2134 |
West Hills College Coalinga to host valley fever forum
Two of Fresno County’s top health officials will be in Coalinga on Tuesday, March 17th, to present information to the community on valley fever in a noon-time forum at West Hills College Coalinga in the theatre. The event is open to the public and free of charge.
Speakers will be Dr. Edward L. Moreno and David Luchini.
Edward L. Moreno, M.D., M.P.H., is the Fresno County public health officer and the director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health. As the county’s health official, Dr. Moreno said he strives to promote, preserve and protect the health and well being of Fresno County residents through effective health promotion and disease prevention programs.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame; his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco; his pediatric residency training certificate from the University of Southern California and his master’s degree from California State University, Fresno. He has four years experience in private practice pediatrics, six years experience in clinical teaching and research with the University of California and five years experience in public health.
David Luchini is manager of the Community Health Division, Fresno County Department of Public Health. He joined Fresno County in 1993 as a public health nurse, became charge nurse in 1997 in the immunization program and in 1999 was promoted to supervising public health nurse in the immunization program. In 2001 he accepted the division manager position for communicable disease (recent name change to community health). He oversees more than 90 employees working in 28 programs that include HIV/AIDS, reportable disease investigations, epidemiology, STD/TB control, vital statistics, immunizations and bioterrorism.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, “Valley fever is caused by fungi in the soil. The fungi that cause valley fever can be stirred into the air by anything that disrupts the soil, such as farming, construction and wind. The fungi can then be breathed into the lungs. Valley fever is a form of coccidioidomycosis (kok-sid-e-oi-doh-mi-KOH-sis), or cocci (KOK-si) infection. It can cause fever, chest pain and coughing, among other signs and symptoms.
“More than half of those who inhale the valley fever fungi have few, if any, problems. But some, especially pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, and those of Asian, Hispanic and African descent, may develop a more serious and sometimes fatal form of coccidioidomycosis infection.”
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West Hills Community College District serves the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and is part of the California Community College System. Its two colleges, West Hills College Coalinga, which includes North District Center, Firebaugh, and West Hills College Lemoore, serve more than 6,000 students on campus and online each semester.