Health
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
If they must go to places with known transmission of the Zika virus, CDPH recommends they protect themselves against sexual transmission of Zika and take steps to prevent mosquito bites.
Pregnant couples in which one or both partners were in an area with Zika should use condoms every time they have sex, or not have sex during the pregnancy in order to reduce the risk of transmitting Zika to the fetus.
“Whether you work in a location with Zika, visit family who live in places with Zika or travel for leisure to places with Zika, you need to protect yourself,” said CDPH Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “Anyone living in or traveling to areas with ongoing Zika activity may be at risk for infection. It is very important to protect yourself, and if you are pregnant, protect your developing baby from the serious birth defects that can result from Zika infection.”
Zika virus can spread through mosquito bites and can also be transmitted by both men and women during sex.
Sexually active people who travel to areas with Zika transmission should use condoms or other barriers to avoid getting or passing Zika.
Condoms helps reduce the chance of sexual transmission of the Zika virus, but should not be the only form of contraception for pregnancy prevention. Most people who are infected with Zika do not experience symptoms (fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes), but they should still take precautions to avoid sexual transmission.
Couples planning pregnancy when either partner has been exposed to Zika virus should speak with a health care provider about a safe time to try to get pregnant. A health care provider can also provide information on the most effective contraceptive methods.
“The best thing pregnant women can do to protect themselves and their unborn baby is to stay away from areas where Zika is circulating,” Dr. Smith said.
While there has been no local transmission of Zika virus in California to date, CDPH has confirmed 574 cases of travel-associated infections in the state. Florida and Texas have experienced locally transmitted cases of Zika.
People who go to areas with known Zika transmission should take steps to avoid mosquito bites by doing the following:
– Use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol for long-lasting protection. If using sunscreen and insect repellent, apply sunscreen first and then the repellent. It is recommended and safe for pregnant women, and women who are breastfeeding, to use an EPA-registered insect repellent according to the product label. Do not use insect repellent on infants less than two months of age.
– Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
– Use air conditioning or window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside. If mosquitoes may come indoors, sleep under a bed net.
– Reduce the number of mosquitoes by emptying standing water from containers, such as flowerpots and buckets.
More information about Zika can be found in the February 2017 CDPH Health and Travel Advisory, and on the CDPH Web site, which includes resources about Zika and travel, Zika and pregnancy, Zika and sex, Zika and family planning and mosquito bite prevention. Additional information is also available on the CDC Web site.
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- Written by: Editor
“Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare, but often fatal disease spread by rodents,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “The chances of getting the virus are greatest when entering or cleaning buildings, or other closed spaces, where wild rodents are present.”
HPS is caused by a virus that individuals contract through contact with the urine, droppings or saliva of wild rodents, primarily deer mice.
Breathing small particles of mouse urine or droppings that have been stirred up into the air is the most common means of infection.
The illness begins with fever, headache, and muscle aches and progresses rapidly to severe difficulty breathing and, in some cases, death.
Since HPS was first identified in 1993, there have been 73 hantavirus infections in California and 659 cases nationally. About 30 percent of HPS cases identified in California have been fatal.
The most recent case occurred in a patient who was exposed to the virus in Mono County. Most HPS cases have been exposed in the Sierra Nevada or Southern California mountain areas. Prompt diagnosis and medical treatment increase an individual's chances of recovery.
To prevent HPS, CDPH recommends the following precautions:
– Avoid contact with all wild rodents, their droppings, and nesting materials.
– Before entering an enclosed area that may be infested with rodents, allow it to air out for at least 30 minutes.
– Do not dry sweep or vacuum areas that rodents have potentially contaminated.
– Surfaces that rodents may have contaminated with urine or droppings should be made wet with a 10 percent bleach solution or a commercial disinfectant following label directions before mopping up.
– Promptly dispose of all cleaning materials when done, and thoroughly wash hands and clothes.
– Examine the outside of all buildings and seal any holes or other areas that would let rodents get inside.
– Store all food items securely in rodent-proof containers.
In addition to hantavirus, individuals in recreational areas should take precautions to reduce exposure to plague, which is carried by other wild rodents, such as squirrels and chipmunks, and their fleas.
Steps the public can take include:
– Never feed squirrels, chipmunks or other rodents and never touch sick or dead rodents.
– Avoid walking, hiking or camping near rodent burrows.
– Wear long pants tucked into socks or boots to reduce exposure to fleas.
– Spray insect repellent containing DEET on socks and pant cuffs to reduce exposure to fleas.
– Keep wild rodents out of homes, trailers, and outbuildings and away from pets.
For additional information about preventing HPS, please visit CDPH’s Web page and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site. For information on plague, visit this CDPH Web page.
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- Written by: Editor
NORTH COAST, Calif. – MCHC Health Centers has just become the first health care organization in Lake or Mendocino County to receive the National Committee on Quality Assurance’s highest recognition.
All three MCHC sites in Ukiah, Lakeport and Willits have achieved recognition as Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Homes.
The Patient-Centered Medical Home emphasizes a team-based approach to care. It offers comprehensive services including medical and dental service, behavioral health, preventive services, wellness care, acute and chronic care, obstetrics and women’s health services and, crucial to the well-being of its patients, case management.
It encourages patients to get involved in making their own health care decisions.
“Medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patients’ and providers’ experience of care,” a spokesperson for the National Committee on Quality Assurance, or NCQA, said.
MCHC Quality Improvement Director Dr. Jaisingh Niemer explained that MCHC continually strives to improve quality and meet the highest national standards.
“Though quality improvement is a continuous process, achieving NCQA recognition demonstrates MCHC’s ongoing commitment to quality. It’s an important milestone,” he said.
NCQA updates its standards on a regular basis, so it requires NCQA-recognized organizations to fully engage in ongoing improvement to their clinical practices.
“In 2011, NCQA standards focused on how to best care for individuals with chronic diseases. Its 2014 standards additionally focused on care coordination and population management. To meet these goals, MCHC proactively engages patients in their health by contacting them and reminding them to come in when it is time to get preventive or chronic care,” Dr. Niemer explained.
A standout difference in a Patient-Centered Medical Home is its team-based approach.
Strengthening the relationship between patients and providers enhances MCHC’s ability to recommend care that best fits with the individual’s unique needs, culture, values and preferences.
The PCMH approach also focuses on preventive care, helping patients manage chronic diseases. It makes counseling available when added support can improve a patient’s ability to achieve their health care goals.
It allows the team to identify and respond to serious challenges to wellness that extend beyond the exam room, connecting patients affected by poverty, lack of housing, access to healthy food and support systems to agencies that can improve their lives. The availability of evening and weekend hours also makes it easier for people to get care.
A Patient-Centered Medical Home system is more efficient and less expensive. Through prevention and education, and through well-coordinated treatment, patients feel better because they stay healthier, and they can also avoid expensive visits to the hospital emergency room.
“Because the Patient-Centered Medical Home leads to better care and lower costs, this approach is becoming the new standard in health care. MCHC is proud to be at the forefront of this culture change,” Dr. Niemer said.
MCHC is a local nonprofit organization providing access to comprehensive health care for people in Ukiah, Willits and Lakeport.
All MCHC health centers accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, Covered California insurance and other insurance. Learn more at www.mchcinc.org.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
From January through December 2016, 5,372 new cases of valley fever were reported to CDPH corresponding to an incidence rate of 13.7 cases per 100,000 people.
This is very similar to the most recent peak in 2011 (5,213 cases), which was the highest number of cases since individual cases were made reportable in 1995.
“People who live in or travel to areas where valley fever is common should take steps to avoid breathing in dusty air,” said CDPH Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “If they develop flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever, or difficulty breathing, lasting two weeks or more, they should ask their doctor about valley fever.”
Many counties in the Central Valley and Central Coast regions, where valley fever is most common, reported an increase in cases in 2016 compared with 2015.
The largest number of cases and highest incidence rate in 2016 were in Kern County where more than 2,200 cases, or more than 250 cases per 100,000 people, were reported.
Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, or cocci, is caused by the spore of a fungus that grows in certain types of soil.
In California, valley fever is most commonly reported in the Southern Central Valley and Central Coast.
People get infected by breathing in spores present in dust that gets into the air when it is windy or when soil is disturbed, such as through digging in dirt during construction.
The incidence of valley fever depends on a variety of environmental factors and types of human activity in areas where the fungus is present.
Valley fever symptoms can be similar to other illnesses and it is not always recognized: changes in testing, diagnosis and reporting patterns can also impact reported disease levels.
It is unknown why there has been such a large increase in reported valley fever cases in California in 2016.
While anyone can get valley fever, those most at-risk for severe disease include people 60 years or older, African-Americans, Filipinos, pregnant women, and people with diabetes or conditions that weaken their immune system.
People who live, work, or travel in valley fever areas are also at a higher risk of getting infected, especially if they work outdoors or participate in activities where soil is disturbed.
A person can reduce the risk of illness by avoiding breathing in dirt or dust in areas where valley fever is common. In these areas, when it is windy outside and the air is dusty, stay inside and keep windows and doors closed.
While driving, keep car windows closed and use recirculating air conditioning, if available. If you must be outdoors, consider wearing a properly fitted mask (such as an N95 respirator mask which is widely available in retail stores), and refrain from disturbing the soil whenever possible.
Employers should train their workers about valley fever symptoms and take steps to limit workers’ exposure to dust.
Most infected people will not show signs of illness. Those who do become ill with valley fever may have flu-like symptoms that can last for two weeks or more.
While most people recover fully, some may develop more severe complications of valley fever which may include pneumonia, or infection of the brain, joints, bone, skin or other organs.
If you think you have valley fever, you should contact your physician.
For additional information on Valley Fever, please visit the CDPH Web site.