TheAmarilloPublicHealth(APH)CommunicableDiseaseprogramisresponsibleforthe investigationofdiseasetoprotectcitizensinPotterandRandallcounties.
Table 1. 2021-2022 Selected Notifiable Condition Cases Reported and Residing in Potter/Randall Counties
Vaccine Preventable
Haemophilusinfluenzae,invasive
(WhoopingCough)
(Chickenpox)
Enteric
HemolyticUremicSyndrome(post-diarrheal)
(non-choleraVibriosp infections)
Multidrug Resistant Organisms
Infectious Disease
Enterobacteriaceae(CRE)
(roundworm)
Sexually Transmitted Infection***
(TB)
* Represents values <10
**Formerly known as Monkeypox.
***All data are provisional and subject to change.
Δ Started on latent TB therapy at Amarillo Public Health.
Vaccine Preventable Illnesses
Whenapersongetssomeoftherecommendedvaccines,butnotallofthemortheymissoneormoredoses ofonetypeofvaccine,thisiscalled under-immunized.Mostinfantsandtoddlersgetalltheirrecommended vaccines by age 2, however many children are under-immunized, leaving room for severe illness or outbreaksofdisease.Someadolescentsandadultsareunder-immunizedaswellandmissopportunitiesto protect themselves against vaccine-preventable diseases such as Varicella (chickenpox), influenza (flu), andillnessescausedby Streptococcus pneumoniae.(CDC)
TheAPHImmunizationprogramofferslowtonocostvaccinestochildrenandadultsandusesthemobile unittohostandattendlocalvaccinationevents.
Enteric Illness
Entericillnessesmostlyaffectthestomachandintestines,andoftenenterthebodythroughthemouthwith foodordrink.Thesegermscanbespreadtoothersthroughverytinybitsofstool(poop)fromaninfected animalorpersonwhichendsupinwater,drinks,food,oronitemsthatalotofpeopletouchsuchasdoor handles, light switches, shopping carts and railings. Good hand washing, food handling (such as rinsing fruitsandvegetables,andbeingcarefulwithrawmeat)and cookingfoodallthewaythroughisthebest waytoavoidtheseillnesses.(CDC)
Viral Hepatitis
Theword hepatitis meansinflammationoftheliver.Hepatitisalsoreferstoagroupofviralinfectionsthat affecttheliverandcanbepassedfrompersontoperson.Hepatitisistheleadingcauseoflivercancerand themostcommonreasonforlivertransplants.(CDC)ThebestwaytopreventHepatitisAandBisthrough vaccination.ThereisnowaveryeffectivetreatmentforHepatitisC.
Hepatitis A illness can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months.HepatitisAisusuallyspreadwhenapersoneatsgermsfromstoolthroughcontactwithobjects, food,ordrinksthathaveverysmallamountsofstoolfromaninfectedpersoninit.
Hepatitis B isusuallyspreadwhenblood,semen,oranotherbodyfluidfromapersoninfectedwiththe HepatitisBvirusentersthebodyofsomeonewhoisnotinfected.
Hepatitis C isusuallyspreadwhenbloodfromapersoninfectedwiththeHepatitisCvirusentersthebody ofsomeonewhoisnotinfected.Today,mostpeoplebecomeinfectedwiththeHepatitisCvirusbysharing needlesorotherequipmentusedtoinjectdrugs.
There is a treatment, but no vaccine for Hepatitis C. The best way to prevent Hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviorsthatcanspreadthedisease,especiallyinjectiondruguse.(CDC)
Invasive/Respiratory Illness
Legionella pneumophila isabacteriawhichcancauseapneumoniaillnesscalledLegionellosis.Aperson becomessickwithLegionellosiswhentheybreatheinverysmalldropletsofwater(liketheonesfoundin ashower,mister, orhumidifier) that have Legionella in them. Often Legionellagetsinto a watersystem becauseofchangesintheenvironmentsuchasconstruction,usingwaterequipmentawayfromhome(like ashowerinahotel),orthroughusingtapwaterinsteadofdistilledwaterforbreathingequipmentlikea humidifier, CPAP, BIPAP (used to help people who sometimes have trouble breathing) or inhaler. Legionellacanalsobefoundinsoil.
Vector-borne/Zoonotic Disease
Vector-bornediseasesarecarriedtoeitherhumansoranimalsbyanothercreature,usuallyawildanimal orinsect.Thisanimalorinsectisknownasa vector
Malaria and West Nile Virus areboth vector-bornediseasescausedbybitesfrominfectedmosquitoes. MalariaisanillnessthatisoftenpickedupduringtraveltocountrieswhereMalariaiscommon.Thereare medicationswhichcanbetakentohelppreventgettingMalaria,especiallywhiletraveling.
ThewaytohelppreventbothWestNileVirusandMalariaistousepersonalmosquitoorinsectrepellents, coverskinwhileoutdoorstopreventbites,andmakesurethattherearenocontainerswithstandingwater sittingaroundwheremosquitoescanhatchfromeggs.
Murine or Flea-borne Typhus is a fever illness that a person can get from the bite of an infected flea. Protectfrommurinetyphusbycontrollingfleasinthehomeandonpets.Alsoclearingbrush,rockpiles, junk, and similar things from around the home makes it less likely for wild animals to live or get close enoughtospreadfleas.Remembertocloseholesinyourhomeandkeepoutsidegarbagelidsclosedwell, tohelpkeeprodentsandmiceaway.
Multidrug Resistant Organisms
Whenmedicinesusuallyusedagainstagerm(suchasabacteriaorfungus)nolongerworkwellagainst thatgerm,thegermiscalled resistant.Sometimesitcanberesistanttomultiplemedications.Thesegerms arecalled multidrug resistant organisms or MDROs andcanbeworryingbecauseitmeansthereareless helpfulmedicinesforthedoctortochoosefortreatment.Themedicalandpublichealthcommunityworks togethertoprotectpeoplefromMDROsbyunderstandinghowpatientsgetsickfromMDROsandcarefully prescribingmedicationslikeantibioticsandantifungalsonlywhenneeded.Apersonismorelikelytoget anMDROiftheyhavealotofotherconditionswhichmakethemsick.
Other Infectious Diseases
Infectiousdiseasescauseillnessesthatcanbepassedfromananimalorinsect,theenvironment(likesoil orwater,)orfromhumanstootherhumansoranimals.
Ascariasis isanillnesscausedbyaworm(roundworm)thatisa parasite,meaningsomethingthatbenefits fromlivingin oronanotherlivingbeing, but alsoharmsthat living being. Mostpeopleget ascariasisby accidentallyeatingsoilthathasverysmallbitsofstoolinit.Thesoilcangetonthehandsorunderthenails ofpeopleworking,living,orplayingoutsideoreatingfruitsandvegetablesthathaven’tbeenrinsedvery well.Goodhandwashingandrinsingfruitsandvegetableswellarethebestwaystoprotectyourself.
MPOX, formerly known as “Monkeypox” is an illness that causes a rash and other symptoms like fever, tiredness,andbodyaches.Itusuallypassesfrompersontopersonthroughclosepersonalcontactwithone anothersuchaskissing,hugging,sexorsimilaractivity.Itislesslikelytopasstosomeonefromasheetor towelorotherpersonalitemthatsomeonewiththeillnesshasbeenusing.
ThereiscurrentlyavaccineandatreatmentforMPOX.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Chlamydia isaharmfulinfectionwhichcandamageawoman'sreproductiveorgans.Itisoneofthemost commonlyreportedsexuallytransmittedinfectionsintheUnitedStates.Therearealotofpeoplewho haveChlamydia,butdon’tgettestedbecausetheydon’thavesymptoms,althoughitcanbeharmfuleven withoutsymptoms(CDC)
Chlamydiainfectioninwomenisusuallymildor asymptomatic (doesn’tshowanysymptoms.)Untreated infection can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which is another illness and a major cause of infertility, problems during pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Chlamydia infection might also make it easiertogetandpasshumanimmunodeficiencyvirus(HIV)infection.
Gonorrhea iscausedby Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a germthat can grow and multiplyeasilyin some ofthe warm,moistareasofthereproductivetractinwomenandmen,butalsointhemouth,throat,eyes,and anus.
Infections due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae are a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the UnitedStates.
Syphilis iscausedby Treponema pallidum.Ithasoftenbeencalled"thegreatimitator"becausesomanyof thesignsandsymptomsaresimilartothoseofotherinfectionsandillnesses.Manypeopleinfectedwith syphilisdonothaveanysymptomsforyearsandremainatriskforlate-stagesevereillnessiftheyarenot treated.
Syphilisispassedfrompersontopersonthroughdirectcontactwithasyphilissore.Soresappearmainly ontheoutsideofthereproductiveorgans,vagina,anus,orintherectum.Soresalsocanoccuronthelips and in the mouth. Syphilis can NOT be spread through contact with toilet seats, doorknobs, swimming pools,hottubs,bathtubs,sharedclothing,oreatingutensils.Pregnantpeoplewiththediseasecanpassit tothebabiestheyarecarrying.
HIV & AIDS
HIV isthe human immunodeficiency virus Itcanleadto acquired immune deficiency syndrome,orAIDS.HIV damagesaperson’sbodybydestroyingspecificbloodcellswhichhelpthebodyfightillness. PeoplelivingwithHIVmaylookandfeelhealthyforseveralyears.However,eveniftheyfeelhealthy,HIV isstillaffectingtheirbodies.AllpeoplewithHIVshouldbeseenonaregularbasisbyahealthcareprovider experiencedintreatingHIVinfectionandpossiblygethelpfulmedications. SupportservicesarealsoavailabletomanypeoplewithHIV.Theseservicescanhelppeopledealwiththeir diagnosis,reduceriskbehavior,andfindneededservices.
AIDS isthelatestageofHIVinfection,whenaperson’simmunesystemisbadlydamagedandhasdifficulty fightingillnessandcertaincancers.Currently,peoplecanlivemuchlongerwithHIVbeforetheydevelop AIDSbecauseofveryhelpfulmedications. TheAmarilloPublicHealthHIV/STDprogramconductsHIVpreventionactivitiesincludingscreeningand treatment,partnercontacttracing,HIVpreventionoutreachandconnectiontosupportservices.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis(TB)iscausedbyagermcalled Mycobacterium tuberculosis.TBusuallyattacksthelungsbut canalsoattackanypartofthebodysuchasthekidney,spine,andbrain.Ifnottreatedcorrectly,TBdisease canleadtodeath.
TBisspreadthroughtheairfromonepersontoanother.TheTBgermsareputintotheairwhenaperson withTBdiseaseintheirlungsorthroatcoughs,sneezes,speaks,orsings.Peoplenearbymightbreathein thesegermsandbecomeinfected.InmostpeoplewhobreatheinTBgermsandbecomeinfected,thebody canfightitofftostopitfromgrowing.
TB is NOT spread by shaking someone’s hand, sharing food or drink, touching, bedsheets, toilet seats, sharingtoothbrushes,orkissing.
TBgermscanliveinthebodywithoutmakingyousick.Thisiscalled latent TB infection (LTBI) Peoplewith LTBIdonotfeelsick,donothaveanysymptoms,andcan’tspreadTBgermstoothers.However,TBcan becomeactiveiftheimmunesystemcannotstopitfromgrowing.Ifthishappens,thepersonwillgofrom havingLTBItobeingsickwithTBillness.
TheAmarilloPublicHealthTBprogramdiagnosesandmanageslatentTB.Theyprovidecasemanagement anddirectlyobservedtherapyforpatientswithactiveTB.
Pleasevisitwww.amarillopublichealth.comformoreinformationonanyofourprogramsorservices.