Johnson County Health Department - EPI Update Newsletter

Flu season has not yet peaked in Kansas, so it’s not too late to get your flu shot! The Johnson County Health Department has vaccine available for $14 for those six months and older, while supplies last. The vaccine has been made available through a donation from the Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Kansas City.

The flu vaccine is available from 8:30 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Thursday and 8:30 AM to Noon on Friday. No appointment is necessary.

Both clinic sites have the vaccine:
11875 S. Sunset, #300
Olathe, KS 66061

6000 Lamar, #140
Mission, KS 66202

“The peak months for flu are January through March, so it’s not too late to get the vaccine. We want to protect as many people as possible,” Leon Vinci, Johnson County Health Department Director, said.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) an estimated average of 114,000 people are hospitalized as a result of influenza-associated infections each year and 36,000 Americans die each year from influenza. The flu is typically spread from one person to another from coughing and sneezing. Washing your hands, covering your cough, and staying home when you are sick will help decrease the spread of flu and other illnesses.

For updated information on the vaccine, go to the Web site at www.jocoflu.org or http://health.jocogov.org.

With an increase in reports of clinics and health departments in the United States improperly storing vaccine, the Johnson County Health Department is asking local vaccine providers to review their vaccine storage procedures.

Inadequate refrigeration can cause vaccines to lose their potency, resulting in people receiving less-effective doses, possibly leaving them susceptible to dangerous diseases. Also, replacing compromised vaccines can be costly in time and money. Lastly, bad vaccine means possibly having to re-vaccinate those who have already received their immunization.

Protect your vaccine supply:

• Store vaccine separately from food and other items in its own (household-style) refrigerator.
• Have a designated person in charge of handling vaccines.
• Maintain a daily log of temperature checks – check twice a day, every day.
• Conduct monthly inventory counts.
• Train staff for vaccine care.
• Store and rotate vaccines according to expiration dates.
• Make sure air can circulate around vaccine – do not store vaccine in crisper drawers or in the refrigerator/freezer doors.
• Order sensibly.
• Establish an “emergency handling/transfer plan”.
• Post “do not unplug” signs by plugs and circuit breakers.
• Provide back-up power or alarm system.

Sources:
AP Article
Checklist for Safe Vaccine Handling and Storage
Vaccine Manufacturer’s Contact List
KDHE Vaccine Handling and Storage Chart

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SYMPTOMS	COLD	FLU
Fever	Rare	Characteristic, high (102-104°F); lasts 3-4 days
Headache	Rare	Prominent
General Aches, Pains	Slight	Usual; often severe
Fatigue, Weakness	Quite Mild	Can last up to 2-3 weeks
Extreme Exhaustion	Never	Early and prominent
Stuffy Nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest Discomfort, Cough	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common; can become severe
COMPLICATIONS	Sinus congestions or earache	Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening
PREVENTION	Hand washing	Hand washing; annual vaccination; antiviral medicines – see your doctor
TREATMENT	Symptomatic treatment	Antiviral medicines – see your doctor

Campylobacter in Kansas

Following two outbreaks of campylobacteriosis that made at 87 people ill in southwest and south central Kansas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are advising the public not to drink raw milk or products made from raw milk.

In the first outbreak in southwest Kansas, 68 people became ill after eating cheese made from raw (unpasteurized) milk donated by a local dairy for a community celebration. The second outbreak is link to a dairy in south central Kansas that sells raw milk directly to consumers.

Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter. Symptoms of campylobacteriosis include diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever within two to five days after exposure. Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial causes of diarrheal illness in the United States. It usually occurs in single, sporadic causes, but it can also occur in outbreaks, where a number of people can become ill at one time.

Campylobacteriosis is often associated with handling raw poultry or eating raw or undercooked poultry meat. A very small number of Campylobacter organisms are needed to cause illness in humans. Even one drop of juice from raw chicken meat can infect a person however poultry is not usually the cause of larger outbreaks. Large outbreaks are usually attributed to drinking unpasteurized milk or contaminated water. Animals can also be infected, and some people have been infected from contact with the infected stool of an affected dog or cat.

There are simple ways to prevent becoming infected with Campylobacter:
• Cook all poultry products thoroughly. Make sure that the meat is cooked throughout (no longer pink), any juices run clear, and the inside is cooked to 170 0 F for breast meat, and 1800 F for thigh meat.
• Wash hands with soap and water before handling raw foods of animal origin. Also wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw foods of animal origin and before touching anything else.
• If you are served undercooked poultry in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking.
• Prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen:
o Use separate cutting boards for foods of animal origin and other foods.
o Carefully clean all cutting boards, countertops, and utensils with soap and hot water after preparing raw food of animal origin.
• Avoid consuming unpasteurized milk and untreated surface water.
• Make sure that persons with diarrhea, especially children, wash their hands carefully and frequently with soap to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
• Wash hands with soap after having contact with pet feces.

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/campylobacteriosis.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/campylobacter_g.htm

Disease Reporting Notes:

If you have any questions about the monthly Epi Update, or any other disease surveillance or containment questions, please contact Nancy Tausz, RN, BSN, Director of the Disease Containment Division, at (913) 477-8362 or by email at: Nancy.Tausz@jocogov.org.

Communicable disease reporting is the cornerstone of public health surveillance and disease control. Please remember to maintain an index of suspicion for bioterrorism and reportable disease, and give the Disease Containment staff a call if you have any questions or concerns at (913) 826-1303. On behalf of the Johnson County Health Department, thank you for your continued support.

Johnson County government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age and handicapped status in employment or the provision of programs and services.