Category: Infectious Disease
How do you know if you’re getting the right antibiotic?
Pending test results, doctors usually start with antibiotic that is most likely to be work. This is called empiric therapy and is the “best guess” treatment.
Questions and Answers about a Novel Coronavirus in Washington
Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, answers questions about the 2019 novel coronavirus and what we might expect.
Washington state resident hospitalized with coronavirus infection
The man arrived in Snohomish County after traveling from Wuhan City, China, where an outbreak of of the virus, 2019-nCoV, has been underway since December.
Influenza B outbreak seems to have peaked but virus still active in King County
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which like Influenza B can hit kids hard, is also causing illnesses in King County
Sepsis associated with 1 in 5 deaths worldwide, UW researchers say
Twice as many people as previously believed are dying of sepsis worldwide.
Local stories in the news
Seattle Children’s class action lawsuit expands. Measles scared led Seattle to crackdown on vaccines. Is electric scooter carnage coming to Seattle soon?
When to seek medical care for flu
Most people who get the flu don’t require medical care. But some cases of flu need to be treated by a medical provider.
Two Flu-Related Deaths, More Hepatitis A Cases in Snohomish County
A Lake Stevens man in his late 80s died Jan. 5. A woman in her early 30s from rural north Snohomish County died Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Giving TB vaccine intravenously boosts its effectiveness
The vaccine against TB is usually injected into the skin. A new animal study finds injecting it into the bloodstream dramatically boosts its effectiveness.
Pierce County child dies from flu complications
A Pierce County child under 5 years old died this past weekend from flu-related complications. The child had underlying health concerns that increased the child’s risk.
In 10 years, half of Americans will be obese, study
Several states 60% of adults will be obese. In states with the lowest rates, 40% of adults will be obese. About a quarter of US adults will be severely obese.
Four Cases of Hepatitis A Confirmed in Snohomish County
The individuals were hospitalized for treatment, one of whom has already been released.
Driven by injection drug use, number of new HIV cases rises in King County
In 2018, county saw a 400% jump in the number of new HIV diagnoses among people who inject drugs.
Deadly bugs found in nine out of ten makeup bags
The makeup products studied (lipstick, lip gloss, eyeliners, mascaras and beauty blenders) had between 100 and 1,000 individual bacteria.
How to end the HIV epidemic
Test. Treat, Prevent: A national plan to end the HIV epidemic. The goal is to reduce new HIV infections by 90% by 2030.