Enterovirus D68: What You Need to Know

As with any illness that spreads quickly across the country, it is natural for the public to have increased concern and even worry. After all, there have been almost 277 confirmed Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) cases across 40 states. Everyone can help prevent the spread of respiratory illness.

Jefferson County Public Health has compiled a list of facts to help better understand and prevent the virus.

Who Does the Virus Affect and How? 

• Children under the age of five are at higher risk of contracting the virus, but older kids and teenagers have been affected;
  
• Children with asthma and other preexisting respiratory issues are at highest risk and experience the most severe cases of EV-D68;
  
• Common symptoms include runny nose, cough, fever, and achiness. EV-D68 can also cause more severe and serious symptoms such as breathing issues leading to the need for respirators;
  
• The virus is spread through direct contact or through the air when propelled by a cough or sneeze of an infected person. 

Treatment and/or Prevention? 

• There is no vaccine or antibiotic treatment for EV-D68; 

• EV-D68 can only be diagnosed by doing specific lab tests on specimens from a person’s nose and throat;
  
• The best protection against contracting and/or spreading this respiratory virus is by practicing good hygiene: frequent hand washing, disinfecting areas and surfaces that may be contaminated, and containing sneezes and coughs so that particles cannot be spread through the air;
  
• Parents can treat aches and pains associated with the virus with over-the-counter medications. More serious cases are treated by doctors with supplemental oxygen and other prescription medications to ease pain.

If you believe your child has a respiratory illness, it is prudent to keep a close eye on their breathing. If your child begins to wheeze, breathe at a fast and irregular rate, or experience strain pulling in enough oxygen, immediately contact your medical provider. For children with asthma, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends meeting with your doctor to create and/or update an “asthma action plan.”

The CDC is working closely with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and Children’s Hospital Colorado to investigating the possible linkage of a cluster of neurological disease to the EV-D68 outbreak. The investigation is ongoing and the CDC will provide updated information as needed.

Download this infographic about EV-D68 from the CDC, and don’t forget to get an annual flu shot.

Protect Your Pets

One of the best ways to show your pets how much you love them is to make sure they are protected from rabies. Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system in animals and humans. If you do not vaccinate your pets, you are putting your entire family at risk. It is also important to keep your pets on leashes when they are out in the community.

Rabies in wild animals is on the rise, especially in bats and skunks in the state of Colorado. These wild animals can infect your pets if they are not protected. The Foothills Animal Shelter provides low cost vaccinations as well as links to other vaccination clinics throughout the county. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Kids Page on Rabies or read our JCPH Rabies brochure.

For questions, contact: dvolkel@jeffco.us, 303-271-5700

Protect against Pertussis or “whooping” cough

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, a contagious bacterial infection spread by coughing/sneezing, continues to circulate around the country. It is most notable for the persistent, often severe, and long-lasting cough in those infected and can be life threatening in infants and young children. 

JCPH urges everyone to be sure they are up-to-date on vaccinations. The childhood vaccine, DTaP protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. However, a booster vaccine, called Tdap is required when a child enters 6^th grade. Children 7-10 years of age who are not up-to-date should also receive the Tdap vaccine. Due to an ongoing increase in reported pertussis cases throughout Colorado, Tdap is also recommended for all adults. This is especially important for adults who live with an infant and for childcare providers.  To make an appointment, call 303-232-6301.

JCPH Immunization Webpage

CDC Pertussis Information

CDPHE Vaccine Schedules

Splish. Splash. Practice Healthy Swimming Behaviors

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) encourages healthy swimming behaviors to reduce the risk of recreational water illnesses.  Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) are illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers or oceans. RWIs can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including gastrointestinal, skin, respiratory, neurological and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea. Diarrheal illnesses can be caused by germs such as Crptosporidium, Giradia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli. 


Practice healthy swimming behaviors: 

• Refrain from swimming when ill, especially if you have diarrhea.
• Avoid swallowing pool water or even getting in your mouth
• Shower before swimming and wash hands after using bathroom or changing diapers. Change diapers in bathroom and not at poolside or near water.

EHS performs routine inspections of year round public and semi-public pools/spas. Follow up inspections are performed as needed. JCPH also offers a two-day course is designed to prepare individuals in the basic knowledge, techniques, and skills of pool-spa operations. 

Pool/Spa Certification Course 

• For more information about Recreational Water Illness Prevention and Healthy Swimming, contact Leslie Frank, Environmental Health Specialist at 303-271-5776 or email at: lefrank@jeffco.us
• Information can also be found on the Centers for Disease Control web site at: www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming. 

In some areas of Jefferson County, a substantial number of residential dwellings receive water from private wells. The department recommends that well water be tested for certain contaminants. JCPH Water Quality page

Are You Up-to-Date on Immunizations?

Staying up-to-date on immunizations protects our populations from serious communicable diseases. JCPH reminds parents, childcare and healthcare providers of the importance of preventing once common childhood diseases through vaccination. While many preventable disease levels are at or near record lows, there are still many under-immunized children, leaving the potential for outbreaks of disease. Many adolescents and adults are under-immunized as well, missing opportunities to protect themselves against diseases such as Hepatitis B, influenza, bacterial meningitis and pneumococcal disease. This is a good time to go over your immunization records and be sure everyone in your family is up to date.

JCPH has partnered with the Jeffco Public Schools to increase the number of children up to date on immunizations. JCPH has extended hours thru June 2012 to get kids caught up for the upcoming school year.  Call 303-232-6301 to make an appointment!


For a complete list of recommended vaccines, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm

• Jefferson County Public Health offers Immunizations at our Arvada and Lakewood locations, please call to make an appointment: 303-232-6301 or visit: www.health.jeffco.us
• Immunize for Good Colorado: www.immunizeforgood.com/

For more information and to take the What Vaccines Do You Need Quiz, visit:  http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/default.htm 

Getting to Know a Public Health Nurse

By this time, I’m sure most of you have heard about the Salmonella outbreak related to products containing certain types of peanut butter. It still amazes me that epidemiologists are able to narrow down a source for a national outbreak affecting hundreds of people. One of the exciting parts of my job is that, often, I get to be involved in these investigations. With this outbreak, I had the chance to interview someone who had become sick with this particular type of Salmonella.
Certain illnesses are required to be reported to the state health department, and every day our team is notified of Jefferson County residents who have tested positive for a reportable condition. Salmonella is a “reportable” illnesses, and after receiving the original report, I started our standard investigation for Salmonella infection. After the first interview, I heard from the state health department that this individual “matched” an outbreak being tracked nationally. From there, we did more and more focused interviews. Initially, this individual thought the illness came from eating some undercooked chicken or cleaning out the cage of a pet snake. (Both legitimate ways of getting a Salmonella infection.) After further interviews, we discovered that peanut butter sandwich crackers were eaten 6 to 7 times each week, prior to the illness.
Though we regularly deal with diagnosed illnesses, at times we receive reports of illnesses in the community that have not yet been identified. School nurses may call to report a rash illness in their schools, or a nursing home may call for guidance with an outbreak of a diarrhea in their residents. This can start with a call to one of the communicable disease control nurses, and depending on the situation, different people within the county health department may become involved. For example, a person who calls with a complaint of getting sick after eating at a restaurant may need to speak with an Environmental Health Specialist. Other situations require intervention by our epidemiologists. Each person plays different roles at different times, but the overall goal is the same- to protect Jefferson County citizens from infectious diseases.