Question: I have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and I want to go to Arizona this winter. Will the dry air hurt my condition? I have heard that desert fever, a fungal condition, is a threat also.

Dr. Hibberd’s answer:

Arizona has a very dry climate. COPD sufferers often find relief in this climate. Desert fever (coccidiodomycosis) is quite uncommon among visitors, and should not be a factor in your visit to Arizona this year.

When it does occur, it is usually mild, with flu-like symptoms, and getting an infection once usually confers lifetime immunity. It is not passed from person to person, and may be prevented by wearing a mask during dust storms and avoiding accidental dust inhalation.