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 2007
Contents Tuberculosis Is A Complicated Illness Oral Health Important For Overall Health
MRSA has been the latest health topic featured on the news. What is MRSA? MRSA is Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus—a type of staph infection. MRSA causes skin infections that are resistant to many antibiotics. MRSA skin infections can lead to more serious conditions such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or bone infections but these are very rare in healthy people. Even though staphylococcus (staph) bacteria, including MRSA, may be new to the media, staph bacteria have been and remain a common cause of skin infections. MRSA can look like these more familiar skin conditions: insect bites, abscesses, boils, or impetigo. These skin infections commonly occur at sites of visible skin trauma, such as cuts and abrasions, and areas of the body covered by hair (e.g., back of neck, groin, buttock, armpit, beard area of men). MRSA is transmitted by:
MRSA infections are spread more easily where the five C's are present:
These conditions are more common in schools, dormitories, military barracks, households, correctional facilities, and daycare centers. The spread of MRSA can be prevented by practicing good hygiene.
MRSA should not be a cause for alarm. You can find more information at www.cdc.gov/features/MRSAinSchools/ or www.dhss.mo.gov/mrsa.pdf.
From the Centers for Disease Control
The national and local media have been issuing regular reports about imported toy recalls due to hazardous lead content. In August, 2007 Fisher Price issued a recall for nearly one million toys. Toys that have been made in other countries and then imported into the U.S. or antique toys and collectibles passed down through generations put children at risk for such exposure. To reduce these risks, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues recalls of toys that could potentially expose children to lead. Lead may be used in two aspects of toy manufacturing. Paint: Lead may be found in the paint on toys. It was banned in house paint, on products marketed to children, and in dishes or cookware in the United States in 1978; however, it is still widely used in other countries and therefore can still be found on imported toys. It may also be found on older toys made in the United States before the ban. Plastic: The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. It softens the plastic and makes it more flexible so that it can go back to its original shape. It may also be used in plastic toys to stabilize molecules from heat. When the plastic is exposed to substances such as sunlight, air, and detergents the chemical bond between the lead and plastics breaks down and forms a dust. How your child may be exposed Lead is invisible to the naked eye and has no smell. Children may be exposed to it from consumer products through normal hand-to-mouth activity, which is part of their normal development. They often place toys, fingers, and other objects in their mouth, exposing themselves to lead paint or dust. How to test a toy for lead Only a certified laboratory can accurately test a toy for lead. Although do-it-yourself kits are available, they do not indicate how much lead is present and their reliability at detecting low levels of lead has not been determined. How to obtain more information about recalls The CPSC asks that parents check for possible recalls of their children's toys and take the toys away immediately if they have been recalled. Photos and descriptions of recalled toys can be found at www.cpsc.gov or call 1-800-638-2772. For more information about the Fisher Price recall, visit http://service.mattel.com/us/recall.asp. How can lead harm my child Elevated lead levels may affect the health of a child in a number of ways, including:
What to do if you are concerned about your child's exposure Although lead exposure through contaminated toys has been widely reported in the media, children may be exposed to lead in other ways. Childhood lead poisoning is an environmental health problem that affects thousands of Missouri’s children. Missouri is the largest producer of lead in the United States. In addition, in Missouri, 28% of housing was built prior to 1950. This means that more than one out of four housing units in Missouri contains lead-based paint. Missouri's rate for elevated lead levels in children is three times the national average. Grundy County has been designated a high-risk county for lead poisoning by the Department of Health and Senior Services. If you have any reason to suspect that your child has been exposed to lead in a toy or their environment, it's important to have him tested. The Grundy County Health Department can give your child a simple blood test for blood lead level. For more information about lead testing or exposure, call the Grundy County Health Department at 660.359.4196.
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Tuberculosis Is A Complicated Illness Globally, TB disease kills more than any other microbial disease in the world, an estimated 2-3 million per year. Next to HIV disease, TB is considered the world's leading global health threat. TB, tuberculosis, or consumption, is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can attack any part of your body, but they usually attack the lungs. TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria are expelled into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. People, who become infected with TB bacteria, usually have had very close, day-to-day, contact with someone who has TB disease (e.g. a family member, friend, or close co-worker). You're not likely to get infected from someone coughing in line at a supermarket or at a restaurant. Dishes do not spread TB, nor do drinking glasses, sheets or clothing. In most people who become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. The bacteria become inactive, but they remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called latent TB infection (LTBI). Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease. But in other people, especially people who have weak immune systems, the bacteria become active and cause TB disease. People with LTBI can take medicine so that they will never develop TB disease. TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop them from growing. The active bacteria begin to multiply in the body and cause TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected, before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick later, when their immune system becomes weak for some reason. Babies and young children, people infected with HIV, persons with chronic disease(s), and the elderly, may have weakened immune systems. Symptoms of TB depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs. TB in the lungs may cause: a bad cough that lasts longer than 2 weeks, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs), weight loss, chills, fever, or night sweats. People with TB disease can be treated and cured if they seek prompt medical help. For more information about TB, visit www.cdc.gov/tb/faqs/ or call the Grundy County Health Department.
From the Centers for Disease Control
Oral Health Important For Overall Health Your oral health is connected to many other health conditions beyond your mouth. Sometimes the first sign of a disease shows up in your mouth. In other cases, infections in your mouth, such as gum disease, can cause problems in other areas of your body. Your mouth is usually full of bacteria. Normally, you can keep these bacteria under control with daily brushing and flossing. Saliva is also a key defense against bacteria and viruses. But harmful bacteria can sometimes grow out of control and lead to periodontitis, a serious gum infection. When your gums are healthy, bacteria in your mouth usually don't enter your bloodstream. However, gum disease may provide bacteria a port of entry into your bloodstream. Sometimes invasive dental treatments can also allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Medications or treatments that reduce saliva flow or disrupt the normal balance of bacteria may make it easier for bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Some researchers believe that these bacteria and inflammation from your mouth may be linked to other health problems in the rest of your body. Cardiovascular disease. Research shows that several types of cardiovascular disease may be linked to oral health. These include heart disease, clogged arteries, stroke and bacterial endocarditis. Pregnancy and birth. Gum disease has been linked to premature birth. This is why it's vital to maintain excellent oral health before you get pregnant. Diabetes. Diabetes increases your risk of gum disease, cavities, tooth loss, dry mouth, and a variety of oral infections. Osteoporosis. The first stages of bone loss may show up in your teeth. If you didn't already have enough reasons to take good care of your mouth, teeth and gums, the relationship between your oral health and your overall health provides even more. Resolve to practice good oral hygiene every day. You're making an investment in your overall health, not just for now, but for the future, too. From www.mayoclinic.com
On Tuesday, October 9 the Grundy County Health Department held its first drive-thru flu clinic at the Grundy County Emergency Complex. Administering our annual flu shots to residents in their cars was only part of the story. Residents that drove through the flu clinic were also helping the Health Department test its emergency plan for distributing medicine or giving vaccinations in case of a flu pandemic or another type of public health event. The exercise was sanctioned by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services so representatives from the state department and fourteen other county health departments were here to volunteer and observe. Locally, we received assistance from the Grundy County Local Emergency Planning Committee, Community Emergency Response Teams, and Pandemic Preparedness Committee and cooperation from city and county officials. In all, more than 120 volunteers administered flu shots to more than 650 participants. Following the exercise, volunteers and participants offered ideas to make the clinic run more smoothly in a future exercise or event. Grundy County residents were very willing to try something new and the large number of participants made the exercise a good test of the existing emergency plan. At the Grundy County Health Department, promoting emergency preparedness is one way that public health makes life better.
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