Grundy County Health Department
1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683
PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Grundy County Health Department 1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683 PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Public Health PostOctober - December 2006
Contents E. coliBreast Cancer AwarenessLyme DiseaseHealthy BonesPublic Health Careers
Questions & Answers About E. coliWhat is E. coli (Escherichia coli )? Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a type of bacteria. There are hundreds of strains of E. coli and most are harmless. However, the particular strain called E. coli O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin that can cause severe illness. The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the bacterium refers to the specific markers found on its surface and distinguishes it from other types of E. coli. How is E. coli spread? The organism can be found on most cattle farms or petting zoos and can live in the intestines of healthy cattle, deer, goats, and sheep. Meat can become contaminated during slaughter, and organisms can be accidentally mixed into meat when it is ground. Bacteria present on the cow's udders or on equipment may get into raw milk. Eating meat, especially ground beef, that has not been cooked sufficiently to kill E. coli can cause infection. Among other known sources of infection are consumption of sprouts, lettuce, spinach, salami, unpasteurized milk and juice, and by swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water. Infected people can pass bacteria in their stools which can be passed from one person to another without proper hygiene and hand washing habits. What illness does E. coli O157:H7 cause? Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection often causes severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Sometimes the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea or no symptoms. Usually little or no fever is present, and the illness resolves in 5 to 10 days. In some persons, particularly children under 5 years of age and the elderly, the infection can also cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. About 8% of persons whose diarrheal illness is severe enough that they seek medical care develop this complication. How is E. coli O157:H7 infection diagnosed? Infection with E. coli O157:H7 is diagnosed by detecting the bacterium in the stool. However, about one-third of laboratories that culture stool still do not test for E. coli O157:H7. All persons who suddenly have diarrhea with blood should get their stool tested for E. coli O157:H7.
From the Centers For Disease Control
October Is Breast Cancer Awareness MonthBreast cancer is the illness that many women fear most, though they're more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than they are of all forms of cancer combined. Still, breast cancer is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer deaths in American women. Although rare, breast cancer can also occur in men — during 2005, more than 200,000 U.S. women and around 1,500 men developed the disease. Although certain risk factors, such as gender, age, race, and family history, that increase your risk for developing breast cancer cannot be controlled, certain lifestyle choices can also increase your risk. Using alcohol, eating a high-fat diet, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Good screening practices help catch breast cancer in its early stages when it is most curable. Screening is more than just getting a mammogram, for most women it consists of three components: self breast exam, clinical breast exam, and mammography. Guidelines for screening intervals are based on age and health history and can be confusing. How often should you be screened? Women younger than 40
Women over 40
Women with family history of breast cancer
Older women with serious health problems should talk with their health care provider about the value of ongoing mammography. In general, if you are an older woman in good health you should continue to have annual mammograms. For more information about breast cancer, visit these websites:
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Breastcancer.org
American Cancer Society
The Mayo Clinic www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer/DS00328
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast
Ticks Carry Lyme DiseaseAutumn brings cooler weather, if you are spending time outside hunting or doing yard work, you may be putting yourself at risk for Lyme disease. Learn the symptoms for this possibly serious illness and ways to prevent it. Lyme disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected black-legged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings, and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics. The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid tick bites:
If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is very small. But just to be safe, monitor your health closely after a tick bite and be alert for any signs and symptoms of tick-borne illness. From the CDC
Healthy BonesBones play many roles in the body. They provide structure, protect organs, anchor muscles, and store calcium. Adequate calcium consumption and weight bearing physical activity build strong bones, optimizes bone mass, and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Peak Bone Mass Peak bone mass refers to the genetic potential for bone density. By the age of 20, the average woman has acquired most of her skeletal mass. A person with high bone mass as a young adult will be more likely to have a higher bone mass later in life. Inadequate calcium consumption and physical activity early on could result in a failure to achieve peak bone mass in adulthood. A large decline in bone mass occurs in older adults, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. For women this occurs around the time of menopause. Osteoporosis Osteoporosis or "porous bone" is a disease of the skeletal system characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue. Osteoporosis leads to an increased risk of bone fractures typically in the wrist, hip, and spine. While men and women of all ages and ethnicities can develop osteoporosis, some of the risk factors for osteoporosis include those who are female, especially post-menopausal, Caucasian, older adults, small in body size, eating a diet low in calcium, and physically inactive. Calcium Calcium is a mineral needed by the body for healthy bones, teeth, and proper function of the heart, muscles, and nerves. The body cannot produce calcium; therefore, it must be absorbed through food. Good sources of calcium include:
Weight-Bearing Physical Activity Regular physical activity has been associated with many positive health benefits including strong bones. Like proper calcium consumption, adequate weight-bearing physical activity early in life is important in reaching peak bone mass. Weight-bearing physical activities cause muscles and bones to work against gravity. Some examples of weight bearing physical activities include walking, running, jumping rope, and weight lifting. Incorporating weight-bearing physical activity into an exercise plan is a great way to keep bones healthy. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week, 60 minutes for children.
From the Centers for Disease Control
Public Health CareersWhen people think of the health care field, they most likely picture doctors and nurses caring for the sick in a hospital setting. Public health professionals may work in a hospital, a research laboratory, a local public health department, like the Grundy County Health Department, or in a tent. Public health emphasizes prevention, not treatment. Prevention can come in many forms—education about how better nutrition can improve health, vaccination from preventable disease, investigation and control of a disease outbreak, or inspection of food and water sources. Environmental Health Specialists help identify and eliminate environmental conditions that negatively affect health. Restaurant inspection, water testing, lead testing for homes are performed locally by environmental health specialists but they may also work in an industry setting or in a government agency. Health Educators and Nutritionists help people understand how food and lifestyle choices can have both positive and negative impact on health. They might work in a business developing wellness programs for employees or in a public health agency. Epidemiologists are scientists who study infectious diseases, like the flu, or non-infectious diseases, like cancer. They may work at a pharmaceutical company developing vaccines or at the Centers for Disease Control. Biostatistics is the analysis of health data. Biostatisticians collect and organize data to track the history of an illness, how risk factors may contribute to illness, what interventions are effective. Public Health Practitioners may be doctors or nurses that work in a public health setting where they provide clinical services like immunizations or health screenings. International Public Health workers may be any of the above that work to control illness in locations, mostly third world countries, where poor sanitation, lack of proper nutrition, and low immunization rates cause premature death. Public health is a diverse and interesting field. In Missouri, Saint Louis University School of Public Health educates public health professionals. Visit their website to learn more, http://publichealth.slu.edu/info.
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Grundy County Health Department is an Equal Opportunity
Provider.
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