Readers can help support studies by purchasing the book "Valley Fever Epidemic" on Tuesday through Amazon.com, according to the book's co-author.

Sharon Filip, a Seattle-area resident diagnosed with valley fever, promotes awareness of the disease at www.valleyfeversurvivor.com and co-wrote "Valley Fever Epidemic" with her son, David Filip.

By buying the book from Amazon on Tuesday, part of the proceeds will support research into a vaccine and cure for the disease, she said.

Coccidioidomycosis is spread by a fungus buried in the soil in arid regions of the Southwest and released into the atmosphere when soil is disturbed. Though symptoms are mostly mild, on rare occasions, they can be life-threatening.

Riverside County and San Diego County residents have contracted the disease, but it is much more prevalent in Kern County and southern Arizona.

Those interested in obtaining the book can take advantage of a special offer at the Web site http://special.valleyfeverepidemic.com/.