Johnson County Health Department - EPI Update Newsletter

Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the state of Kansas will REQUIRE :

--Hepatitis B vaccination for students entering kindergarten, first, second, and third grade; and
--a second dose of varicella vaccine for students entering kindergarten and first grade.

The recommended vaccination schedule for varicella is:
First dose - 12 to 15 months of age
Second dose - four to six years of age

Most individuals who get varicella vaccine will not get chickenpox. However, if someone who has been vaccinated does get chickenpox, the illness is usually very mild. The patient will typically have fewer blisters, is less likely to have a fever, and will recover faster.

Sources: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/menus/vaccines.htm#varicella
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/diseases/varicella/faqs-gen-disease.htm

A new hotline for pandemic influenza questions and information has been established by the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine (KSUCVM) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The hotline number is (800) 566-4518.
The hotline is set up with two different avenues to receive or give information. Callers can ask questions about potential avian influenza in humans from contact with birds, or they can leave a message with concerns about possible animal or human hosts. Calls with questions or information on avian influenza in birds will be returned on the next business day. Staff from the KSUCVM or KDHE Epidemiologic Services Section will respond and return calls from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Source: KDHE www.kdheks.gov

Luke Lunt has been interested in emergencies since he was a boy. His father is a firefighter and a fire service instructor for the state of Illinois, and Luke traveled with him as he taught classes. During high school, Luke worked as a volunteer firefighter for the Roseville Fire Department in Roseville, Illinois. Upon graduating from high school, Luke attended Central Missouri State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Crisis and Disaster Management, with a minor in Fire Science. At the same time, Luke was a volunteer firefighter for the Johnson County, Missouri Fire Department. He also went back home to Illinois every summer during his college years to work as an assistant for the Illinois Fire Service Institute as a fire stoker (to keep the fire hot and smoky), and continued his service in Roseville.
At the Johnson County Health Department, Luke is now responsible for updating and revising our emergency response and preparedness plans, such as the continuity of operations plan and several standard operating guides. He enjoys working with regional partners and finds it very interesting to learn how they are implementing and improving their county’s or city’s emergency preparedness plans.
In addition to his public health emergency experience and his extensive background in fire science, Luke also has his Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license, and certifications in Hazardous Materials Operations, Hazardous Materials Technician, Hazardous Materials Incident Command, Firefighter 1 & 2, and Bloodborne Pathogens.

Clarification

In last month’s edition of Epi Update, we reported on the Environmental Health program at Children’s Mercy Hospital. The following information is a clarification on that article.
The Environmental Health program does work with children that have allergies, but they do not determine the cause of allergies, and are not specifically limited to children with allergies. Most of the patients they work with have asthma. The primary criteria for receiving services is that the clients are children who have exhibited chronic, persistent, and/or recurring health symptoms as a result of asthma, allergy or other health problems that may have environmental causes that have not been evaluated, and therefore, not fully understood.
The Children’s Mercy program staff perform environmental health assessments in homes, day care centers, preschools and schools – both public and private. At present, they are not available to perform assessments in any commercial facility.

Salmonella Tennessee Outbreak Information

The Johnson County Health Department (JCHD) has had two reported cases of Salmonella Tennessee, but to date, none have been related to peanut butter.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the following warnings:

Not to eat jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter with the product code "2111" due to risk of contamination with Salmonella Tennessee (a bacterium that causes foodborne illness).
Individuals who have recently eaten Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter and have experienced symptoms listed below should contact their physician or health care provider immediately.
Consumers should discard any uneaten or unopened jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter with the code "2111".

Symptoms of foodborne illness caused by Salmonella include: fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.

Source: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01563.html

Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Recall

According to information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Carolina Culinary Foods, a West Columbia, S.C., firm is voluntarily recalling approximately 52,650 pounds of fully cooked chicken breast strips that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Recalled products are 6-ounce packages of “Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat, Grilled, Fully Cooked - Ready-to-Eat". Establishment number P-19676, “Use by” date “19 Apr 2007.”

The problem was discovered through microbiological testing completed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.

Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Kraft Consumer Response at (800) 871-7117.

Source: http://www.fsis.usda/gov/OA/recalls/prelease/pr003-99.htm

While influenza is not a reportable disease in Kansas, the Johnson County Health Department does encourage physicians to send lab reports of influenza to the health department for tracking purposes. Please fax reports to (913) 826-1210.

flu map

Image source: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Flu Activity in Johnson County

flu_graph

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) 826-1222 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 us a call if you have any questions or concerns at (913) 826-1303. On behalf of the Disease Containment staff, 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.