Defiance County Health Department tracks, reports, and conducts surveillance of Communicable Disease in Defiance County. Nursing staff receives reports of Communicable Diseases from laboratories and healthcare providers. When a report is received, nursing staff follows Ohio’s Communicable Disease Reporting Requirements. The purpose of disease reporting is control and prevent the disease being reported, document the distribution of disease in Ohio, and to identify outbreaks of disease.
In addition to tracking, reporting and surveillance, the health department receives many calls from people concerned about the risk of exposure to various germs and illnesses. A person can become infected in many different ways, including:
- From person to person through direct contact, or close contact to an infectious person.
- From touching infectious material and then touching eyes, nose or mouth.
- From a healthy person who is not sick, or not showing illness symptoms, but is a “carrier” and spread illness to others.
- From household pets and other animals that may be a carrier of germs.
- The rabies virus (spread through saliva), which can infect cats and dogs, is one of the more serious illnesses that can infect humans. Pet reptiles, such as turtles and chickens can transmit Salmonella bacteria to humans.
- From tiny critters, such as mosquitoes and ticks, that carry a variety of germs such as the germs that cause West Nile Virus and Lyme disease.
- From contaminated water and food resulting in food-borne illness or “food poisoning”.
The number one tool for preventing the spread of germs is practicing good hand washing. This seems so simple, yet many people do not pay attention to this very basic germ stopper. It is best to wash hands with soap and clean water for 20 seconds (for as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice), rubbing hands together to make a lather. If soap and water are not available, an alcohol- based hand sanitizer can be used to clean the hands, rubbing the product over all surfaces of the hands and fingers until hands are dry.
Nursing staff must follow State reporting requirements to track and control communicable disease in Defiance County. Reporting requirements are based on diseases on Ohio’s ABC list. An explanation of reporting requirements can be found here. The Community Health division issues a monthly report to the Board of Health, and to notify the public of communicable diseases in Defiance County.
In the event of a Class A Reportable Disease please contact the Defiance County Health Department (419)784-3818 after hours call Defiance County Sheriff at (419) 784-1155 or call 911.
Have questions or need to schedule an appointment? Please call 419-784-3818.
What is the flu: Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Some people, such as people 65 years and older, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at higher risk of serious flu complications. There are two main types of influenza (flu) viruses: types A and B. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year.
The best way to reduce the risk of flu and its potentially serious complications is by getting vaccinated each year.
- Symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Stuffy nose
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Vomiting and diarrhea
At risk group: Children are most likely to get sick from the flu and people who are 65 or older are least likely to get sick. Median incidence values (or attack rate) by age group were 9.3% for children 0-17 years, 8.8% for adults 18-64 years, and 3.9% for adults 65 years and older.
Causes:
The flu spreads primarily through droplets made when people who have the flu sneeze, cough, or talk. Those droplets from the infected people can land in proximity of the unaffected which will cause them to be sick. Sometimes a person can get the flu from touching a surface than touching their mouths, nose, or eyes prior to washing their hands.
Diagnosis: A number of tests are available to detect flu viruses. Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) are the most common types of tests. This test will detect the parts of the virus that triggered your immune system to fight off the sickness. These tests take 10-15 minutes. A more accurate flu test is rapid molecular assays. These detect the genetics of the flu virus. The test approximately takes 15-20 minutes but provide more accurate results than the RIDTs. If in need for a flu test you can contact your health provider for more information.
Prevention:
- Getting the vaccine yearly (flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu related illness and the risk of potential outcomes including hospitalization and or death)
- Staying away from people who are sick
- Covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing
- Washing your hands religiously
