Valley fever, a fungal infection most notably found in the Southwestern United States, is now likely to spread east, throughout the Great Plains and even north to the Canadian border because of climate change, according to a study in GeoHealth.

“As the temperatures warm up, and the western half of the U.S. stays quite dry, our desert-like soils will kind of expand and these drier conditions could allow coccidioides to live in new places,” Morgan Gorris, who led the GeoHealth study while at the University of California, Irvine, told Today.com.

Valley fever, which commonly occurs in the Southwest due to the region’s hot, dry soil, is an infection caused by inhaling microscopic spores of the fungus coccidioides.

Fatigue Cough Fever Shortness of breath Headache Night sweats Muscle aches or joint pain Rash on upper body or legs

Wear a face mask, such as a N95 respirator Stay inside during dust storms Avoid outdoor activities, such as yard work and gardening, that require close contact with dirt or dust Use air filtration systems while indoors Clean skin injuries with soap and water Take preventive antifungal medication as recommended by your doctor

“I’m really quite hopeful,” Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, told Today.