The Communicable Disease and Epidemiology staff is responsible for:

• tracking disease trends in the community
• conducting investigations on reported cases of reportable communicable diseases and outbreaks
• influenza prevention clinics
• providing communicable disease and immunization education to child care facilities, schools and parents
• ensuring children in child care facilities are properly immunized
• comparing and interpreting data in order to detect possible changes in the health status of the population.
• using leading edge disease surveillance systems to detect changes in trends or distribution of diseases in order to effectively investigate, prevent, and control diseases in the community.
• maintaining partnerships with the healthcare community
• community communicable disease education including a Public Health Newsletter distributed to physicians, nurses and pharmacists and a Child Care Newsletter.

To schedule an educational presentation or to request information please view the Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness Training Guide.

On this page:
    West Nile Virus- new!
    E. Coli Information
    Communicable Disease Manual Reference
    Cover Your Cough- new!

West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. Most often, WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes can then spread WNV to humans and other animals when they bite. In a very small number of cases, WNV also has been spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding and even during pregnancy from mother to baby. WNV is not spread through casual contact such as touching or kissing a person with the virus.

The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites.

• When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing permetherin or DEET. Follow the directions on the package.
• Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.
• Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren't being used.

Symptoms of WNV can include:

• Serious Symptoms in a Few People. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.

• Milder Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected have symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks.

• No Symptoms in Most People. Approximately 80 percent of people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.

Symptoms usual ly occur 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

There is no specific treatment for WNV infection. In cases with milder symptoms, people experience symptoms such as fever and aches that pass on their own, although even healthy people have become sick for several weeks. In more severe cases, people usually need to go to the hospital where they can receive supportive treatment including intravenous fluids, help with breathing and nursing care.

E. Coli
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a leading caus e of foodborne illness. Based on a 1999 estimate, 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection often causes severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Sometimes the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea or no symptoms. Usually little or no fever is present, and the ill ness resolves in 5 to 10 days. In some persons, particularly children under 5 years of age and the elderly , the infection can also cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail.

People can become infected with E.coli O157:H7 in a variety of ways. Though most illness has been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef, people have also become ill from eating contaminated bean sprouts or fresh leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. Person-to-person contact in families and child care centers is also a known mode of transmission. In addition, infection can occur after drinking raw milk and after swimming in or drinking sewage -contaminated water.

Consumers can prevent E. coli O157:H7 infection by thoroughly cooking ground bee f, avoiding unpasteurized milk, and by washing hands ca refully before preparing or eating food. Fruits and vegetables should be washed well, but washing may not remove all contamination. Public service announcements on television, radio, or in the newspapers will advise you which foods to avoid in the event of an outbreak.

For more information please go to www.cdc.gov

Communicable Disease Manual
Healthcare Providers: For communicable disease information please see the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Communicable Disease Manual.

Cover Your Cough!
Respiratory infections such as influenza and the common cold are most often spread when infected people cough and sneeze and others come into contact with those droplets- either in the air or on objects touched by both groups. The best way to prevent infection is to practice good health habits: 
    -wash your hands regularly
    -cough your cough and sneeze
    -stay home when you are ill
    -avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes

When covering your cough or sneeze most people use their hands, thinking this will prevent others from becoming ill. Unfortunately our hands spread the virus many more places after covering your cough or sneeze. Watch this video to learn more about properly covering your cough and sneeze: http://www.coughsafe.com/media.html