New residential buildings in Antelope Valley and coccidioidomycosis incidence rate in Los Angeles County, California, 1996–2011.

<p>Legend. The number of reported new residential buildings constructed in Antelope Valley was strongly correlated (R = 0.92, Pearson p<0.0001) with coccidioidomycosis incidence rate (per 100,000, N = 2168) in Los Angeles County during 1996–2007. The incidence rates here are based on population estimates from the 2000 U.S. census. Antelope Valley has had and continues to have the greatest potential for land development. The housing development boom of the early 2000s led to many residential neighborhood construction projects. Of all reported new residential buildings in Los Angeles County, 37%-39% during 2004–2005 versus 14%-23% during 1996–2003 were in Antelope Valley. Possible causal factors in higher incidence rates in 2008, 2010, and 2011 might include expansion of agricultural land, large land development for solar panels and wind farms, strong wind, the 2008 CSTE case definition modification of a single IgG positive test being confirmatory with signs and symptoms, and the 2009 addition of coccidioidomycosis to California’s list of laboratory reportable diseases.