TEMPE, AZ — As football fans packed the stadium Thursday night to watch the Sun Devils play their first game of the season, Mother Nature made a halftime appearance by bringing a haboob.
With all of that dust comes concerns of air quality — and Valley Fever.
The health condition is caused by spores in the dirt and dust, and can impact both humans and animals.
According to the CDC, most people who breathe in the spores don’t get sick. But there are some that do, and both pets and humans can develop breathing issues.
There can be more serious consequences if cases are left untreated.
What to know: Valley Fever and its impact on pets
ABC15 Health Insider Dr. Andrew Carroll says, if untreated, the fungal infection can leave an infectious nodule on your lungs and even spread to other parts of your body.
Dr. Carroll says new residents to the Phoenix metro area are more likely to get Valley Fever in their first five years of living here, as they adapt to life in the desert.
RELATED: Arizona Board of Regents to put $4.5 million into Valley Fever research
Another ABC15 Health Insider, Dr. Shad Marvasti, goes over the symptoms and how can you differentiate Valley Fever from colds or COVID-19 as well as best practices to minimize your exposure risk: