Rob Gronkowski teams up with Rep. David Schweikert on valley fever vaccine for dogs

Rep. David Schweikert teamed up with four-time Super Bowl champ Rob Gronkowski in Washington, D.C., to tackle valley fever, a sometimes deadly lung infection that afflicts humans and pets and is most common in Arizona.

Schweikert, R-Ariz., and the football star led a discussion of valley fever on Tuesday to bring awareness of the illness and, ideally, spur the development of a cure.

Valley fever is a lung infection caused by breathing dusty air that contains fungus spores. People and animals get the infection, which is most common in Arizona, particularly around Phoenix. Many people infected show no symptoms, though it can cause serious illness in some. Dogs show signs of infection at much higher rates than humans.

Gronkowski, who played at University of Arizona before going professional, donated $1 million to the Anivive start-up in March to help develop a valley fever vaccine for dogs, with his donation earmarked to distribute Anivive's vaccine to low-income families and animals in shelters across Arizona. He owns a French bulldog, Ralphie.

There is no cure for valley fever. Symptoms include cough, fever, muscle and joint pain, and lethargy, and cases are increasing. Many people don't even realize they are infected, while others with additional health concerns can die.

Anivive's vaccine is under review by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Schweikert's concern with addressing valley fever goes back at least a decade to 2013, when he co-founded the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force to advance prevention and treatment, and work with community organizations to educate people about the illness. 

Schweikert said in prepared remarks that just 10 years ago the disease was still not well understood and sometimes misdiagnosed as cancer.

"Now more than ever, the Valley Fever Task Force remains laser focused on bringing awareness and streamlining resources to deliver a cure that provides much-needed relief to families, friends, and beloved pets who have suffered from this terrible disease for far too long."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., also co-founded the task force and said researchers are making progress toward a valley fever treatment.

"In Congress, task force members and I will continue supporting efforts toward development of a human vaccine," McCarthy said.

Gronkowski said in a written statement that Congress was showing a "crazy amount" of support for Anivive's vaccine.

Dylan Balsz, the CEO of the company, said that the dog vaccine could pave the way for an eventual human vaccine and broader vaccines for other fungal infections.

The discussion also included comments from a patient suffering from valley fever.