Survey of United States-based veterinarians reveals knowledge gaps in coccidioidomycosis and guides future One Health-based educational initiatives.

Veterinarians have significant knowledge gaps in coccidioidomycosis recognition and diagnosis.

This survey study evaluated coccidioidomycosis awareness among 640 US veterinarians (365 endemic, 275 nonendemic states) from the Veterinary Information Network in 2024. Veterinarians in endemic states reported 230-fold higher case encounter rates per 100,000 households compared to nonendemic practitioners. Awareness scores were concerningly low (≤50%) in both endemic and nonendemic regions, indicating significant knowledge gaps regarding diagnostics, epidemiology, causative agents, and human exposure risks. Most education occurred during veterinary school, with no difference in continuing education hours between endemic and nonendemic practitioners. Medical record review of nonendemic cases confirmed travel history to endemic regions. The study demonstrates that despite coccidioidomycosis being an important zoonotic sentinel disease with climate-driven epidemiology, veterinarians lack adequate awareness and education. The authors recommend targeted educational initiatives and improved disease reporting mechanisms, particularly relevant for One Health approaches to recognizing human disease in nonendemic areas.

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