Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Everyone to Get Tested

Champaign, IL - Annually, December 1st is observed as World AIDS Day in an effort to raise awareness of the global impact of HIV/AIDS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States and 33.4 million worldwide. More than 18,000 people with AIDS die each year in the U.S.

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages people to get tested and know their status. The CDC estimates that of the one million people living in the United States with HIV, one in five is unaware of their infection. According to Candi Crause, Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management, "HIV is 100% preventable. The key to overcoming this epidemic is to not only educate people on the facts of HIV/AIDS but to open the lines of communication. HIV spreads through silence and... more...

This press release is from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

SPRINGFIELD - Avoid spending this holiday season feeling ill because of unwanted guests such as Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli (Escherichia coli O157:H7) bacteria. There are some simple things you can do to avoid foodborne illness.

"Two of the most important things to remember for a safe Thanksgiving feast are to make sure to fully thaw and cook the turkey, and properly wash with soap and warm water your hands, utensils and anything else that comes into contact with raw meats or juices," said Dr. Craig Conover, Illinois Department of Public Health acting... more...

The Local Health Protection Grant (LHPG) review (77 ILL> Admin. Code 615) has been completed for your health department's three environmental programs - Food Protection, Potable Water Supplies, and Private Sewage Disposal for calendar year 2009. The findings for the LHPG Compliance Review conducted this spring are shown below. A copy of the LHPG compliance review for each section is attached to this letter and specific recommendations from the review staff may also be... more...

From the Illinois Department of Public Health

SPRINGFIELD - Almost a quarter of a million children in the United States have blood lead levels high enough to cause significant damage to their health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) identified approximately 3,300 Illinois children last year with elevated blood lead levels, one of the highest numbers in the country. In observance of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, IDPH is working to raise awareness about the importance of testing children and homes for lead, and learning how to prevent exposure that can result in serious health... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Women to Get a Mammogram for Early Detection

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) offers support of the State of Illinois' proclamation setting forth October 2011 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October 21, 2011 as Mammography Day. A mammogram is the best way to detect breast cancer and early detection can result in successful treatment.

According to Julie L. Gerberding, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), early detection through screening is the best defense against morbidity and mortality from breast cancer. Breast cancer is second to skin cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Breast cancer is second to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. The encouraging news is breast cancer is curable if found in the earliest stages. The 5-year survival rate for localized breast cancer detected... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to be Keep Cats Indoors to Help Minimize Tularemia

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is encouraging area residents to keep cats indoors to reduce the likelihood of contracting tularemia. An additional two cats have been confirmed to test positive for tularemia; one cat from Champaign and one from Urbana. Three cats from two households in Savoy were previously diagnosed with tularemia at the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in July and September. Four of the five cats have either died or been euthanized due to the onset of the disease. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis found in animals (especially rodents, rabbits and hares).

Cats may prey on rabbits and rodents and become infected or they may become infected through tick exposure. Cats may develop a variety of symptoms including high fever, mouth ulcers, depression,... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District was Awarded a Grant for Children's Dental Health

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is one of 17 recipients of the 2011 ADA Foundation: Samuel Harris Fund for Children's Dental Health. This year's Harris Grant focus was on prenatal and postnatal education programs for parents and caregivers on Early Childhood Caries (ECC), an infectious disease defined by the American Dental Association as the presence of one or more decayed (non-cavitated or cavitated lesions), missing (due to caries) or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a child between birth and 71 months of age. A total of $84,552 was awarded through the grant; CUPHD will receive... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to Take Part during National Preparedness Month

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is encouraging citizens to take time during National Preparedness Month and prepare for potential disasters. A disaster can strike at any time and being prepared is the best way to help protect yourself and your family.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) recommends that all households have at least a three-day supply of food and water stored in their homes; one to two weeks is preferred if ample storage space is available. An emergency preparedness stockpile should contain drinking water, at least one gallon per person per day, non-perishable food supplies that are not high in salt, household emergency supplies such as a flashlight, portable radio, batteries and a manual can opener and medical supplies including prescription medications and a first aid kit. Don't forget about... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District/Champaign County Public Health Department Urges Residents to Continue to Take Precautions

Champaign, IL - Mosquito samples in Champaign, Urbana, Savoy and St. Joseph have all recently tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). "Although we are seeing cooler temperatures, mosquitoes are still active until the first hard freeze, so it is important for people to continue to protect themselves against mosquitoes," said Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD)/Champaign County Public Health Department (CCPHD).

The best way to prevent WNV infection or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to be Aware of Symptoms and Health Precautions for Tularemia

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is encouraging area residents to know the symptoms of tularemia and to monitor their family and pets for the
disease. Three cats from two households in Savoy were diagnosed with tularemia at the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in July and September. This may indicate an increased concern for this disease in the area. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis found in animals (especially rodents, rabbits and hares). Humans and many animals can become infected with this bacteria. In the wild, animals can carry the organism and may die from... more...