New drug being developed that could cure valley fever

A new drug is being studied that could possibly cure valley fever, which infects 50,000 Arizonans a year. Nikkomycin Z is in development at the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties account for two-thirds of the country's valley fever cases…

According to panel expert, Dr. Janis Blair of Mayo Clinic, 15 to 17 percent of pneumonia cases in Phoenix are due to valley fever.

Arizona Republic, by Cecelia Chan, 3/31/2010