Category: Infectious Disease
What you need to know about HIV/AIDS today
Efforts to stop the spread of HIV are hindered by fear and stigma.
Health officials investigate Shigellosis outbreak at Cascade Ridge Elementary School
Public Health is investigating an outbreak of shigellosis associated with the kindergarten classrooms at Cascade Ridge Elementary School in Issaquah.
An update on HIV in King County
Last year 161 King County residents were diagnosed with HIV, the lowest number since 1994. This is a 51% decrease in new HIV diagnoses overall.
Northwest an anti-vaccine hotspot
Anti-vaccine activities appear to be more of a western phenomenon, especially in the Pacific Northwest and the American Southwest.
Do not eat romaine lettuce, health officials warn
CDC is advising consumers, restaurants, and retailers not to eat, serve, or sell any romaine lettuce as it investigates E. coli infections linked to romaine.
Don’t invite Salmonella to your Thanksgiving table
An ongoing outbreak of salmonella poisoning linked to the Turkey means food safety at home is more critical than ever this Thanksgiving.
An Underused Strategy For Surge In STDs: Treat Patients’ Partners Without A Doctor Visit
“Expedited partner therapy” is recommended, bu many doctors aren’t taking the advice because of entrenched ethical and legal concerns.
Cut your risk of a heart attack — Get a flu shot
The risk of a heart attack increases 600% within a week of having the flu. Other respiratory infections also increased risk, but influenza caused the greatest.
First locally acquired case of West Nile virus reported in Seattle
Prior to this case, all West Nile virus cases in King County had a history of travel either out of Washington state or to eastern Washington.
Get your flu shot now
If you do nothing else the next few days, get a flu shot. The best time to get a flu shot is by the end of October,
How washing your hands protects against the flu
To protect yourself, get vaccinated to minimize your risk of getting the flu. To reduce the chance you might catch or spread the flu, wash your hands.
Salmonella cases likely linked to Costco cucumbers
If you bought English cucumbers from Costco between Aug. 18 and Sept. 10 and still have them in your refrigerator, you should toss them out, officials say.
The bacteria that live in and on us: Both friends and foes
Much like Pig Pen in the comic strip Peanuts, we actually carry around a cloud of bacteria in the air surrounding us.
Sixth case of ‘polio-like’ illness reported in Washington child.
A sixth child is reported to have paralyzing condition called acute flaccid paralysis. All cases have had sudden onset of paralysis in one or more limbs.
Meet the trillions of viruses that make up your virome
Every surface of our body – inside and out – is covered in microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi and many other microscopic life forms.