FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2011

Contact
Brandon Meline, Director of Maternal & Child Health
(217) 531-4297 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Whooping Cough Outbreak Coincides with Changes to Immunization Requirement

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Expands Tdap Vaccine Offerings

Champaign, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has recently adopted changes for immunization requirements. IDPH has amended its policy to comply with recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to provide additional protection to infants against pertussis. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease that is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

Any child entering the sixth grade will need to show proof of receiving one dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccine regardless of the interval since the last DTaP, DT or Td dose. Students entering grades seven through 12 who have not already received the Tdap vaccination are required to receive one dose regardless of the interval since the last DTaP, DT or Td dose. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has determined that the new requirements will be enforced starting school year 2012-2013. IDPH is in agreement with this timeframe.

According to the IDPH, 1,149 cases of pertussis have been reported in Illinois in 2011, with the majority in Cook County and surrounding areas. CUPHD will be offering Tdap to all Medicaid, uninsured and underinsured children ages 10 to 18 through the Federal VFC (Vaccines for Children) program and to Health Alliance-insured clients from ages 10 to 64. This will help protect adolescent siblings and caregivers of infants as well as meet the 2012-2013 school year requirements.

Pertussis is a highly infectious illness that is easily transmitted through coughing and sneezing and may persist among a population for weeks to months. Symptoms of pertussis usually occur five to 10 days after exposure, but can take up to 21 days to appear. Initially symptoms are similar to a common cold:  a runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild occasional cough. The cough can become severe and spasmodic - with a distinctive “whooping” sound - and can progress to vomiting between bouts of coughing.

Patients with pertussis must be isolated from daycare, school, work and public gatherings for at least five days after the start of appropriate antibiotic therapy to limit further transmission. Although most people recover completely from pertussis, complications from the disease can be severe in high-risk groups, especially infants under one year, and children who have not been fully immunized against the disease.

Appointments are available Monday through Friday and can be scheduled by calling (217) 531-4317 or (217) 531-4319. Please call to inquire about fees; they will be determined based on insurance benefits.

For more information, visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.

###

Download 2011-12-15-Tdap-Whooping-Cough-PR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2011

Contact
Melaney Arnold, Communications Manager
(217) 558-0500

Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Holiday Party Hints for Avoiding Food Poisoning

The Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to holiday gatherings

SPRINGFIELD – Fancy dips, tempting hors d'oeuvres and delightful desserts are some of the culinary treats we see at holiday dinners, office parties or other celebrations.  However, those get-togethers could result in food poisoning if you are not careful.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year roughly one in six Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.  In Illinois, it is estimated that as many as 250,000 cases of foodborne illness may occur each year.  However, because these illnesses can be mild and because the vast majority of them occur in the home, many go unreported.  

Holiday Hosts – what you should do.

• Keep everything in the kitchen clean.
• Wash hands often during food preparation and while serving.
• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.

Keep everything in the kitchen clean.  Wash counter tops and utensils with hot, soapy water between each step in food preparation.  Bacteria from raw meat and poultry can get into other foods if they touch the same surfaces or each other.

Wash hands often during food preparation and while serving.  Most bacteria get into food through improper handling.  Always wash your hands with soap and warm water before handling food.  Bacteria can linger in towels and wash cloths used repeatedly, so make sure to wash them frequently.  Also, if someone has diarrhea or vomiting, they should not prepare or serve food for others as they may spread illness through food.

Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.  Cooking food thoroughly kills most bacteria that cause food poisoning.  Cook meat and poultry thoroughly (see chart below) and use a meat thermometer to check the temperature.  Keep hot food at 140°F and store and serve cold foods at or below 40°F.  Do not leave food unrefrigerated longer than one hour at a time or the chances of dangerous bacterial growth increase.  In other words, do not let potentially hazardous foods reach that intermediate temperature at which microorganisms grow best, between 40°F and 140°F. 

Partygoers and guests – what to avoid.

Be cautious when eating certain foods, such as raw oysters, egg drinks, mousse or bread pudding (unless made with pasteurized eggs or an egg substitute); soft-boiled eggs; steak tartare; and rare or medium hamburger.  These foods can harbor bacteria that cause food poisoning.  It is particularly important that young children, the elderly, pregnant women and those who are ill or whose immune systems are compromised not eat raw or undercooked animal products or raw oysters unless they have consulted a physician.

If you or a family member develops nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or abdominal cramps, you could have food poisoning.  Symptoms of foodborne illnesses can appear anywhere from 30 minutes to two weeks after eating contaminated food.  Most often, people get sick within four to 48 hours after eating contaminated food.

Some foodborne illnesses will resolve themselves without treatment.  However, if the symptoms are severe or if the person is very young, old, pregnant or already ill, call a doctor or go to a nearby hospital immediately.  If groups of people from different households become sick with vomiting and diarrhea, contact the local health department.

###

Download 2011-12-08-Holiday-Food-Safety-PR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2011

Contact
Candi Crause, Director
(217) 531-5372 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

December 1^st is World AIDS Day

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

Champaign, IL – Annually, December 1^st 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 lack of knowledge.”

CUPHD provides case management services for nearly 300 HIV-positive clients in 11 counties in Illinois.  Services include medical and dental assistance, nutritional assistance, utility and housing assistance, legal assistance, mental health assistance, and support group assistance.

CUPHD’s Infectious Disease division offers HIV education, prevention, testing, and treatment at the 201 West Kenyon Road facility in Champaign.  Testing is available Monday thru Friday by appointment, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and during clinic hours on Mondays from 4:00 – 5:30 PM (men only), Tuesdays from 1:00 – 5:00 PM, and Thursdays from 9:00 – 11:00 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM.

For more information on HIV/AIDS or to schedule a test, call (217) 239-7827 or visit www.c-uphd.org.

###

Download 2011-11-30-World-AIDS-Day-PR