The first Fungal Disease Awareness Week is taking place from August 14 through 18. This week was organized by the CDC and partners in order to raise awareness about fungal diseases. Although there are many types of fungal diseases that occur in the U.S., there is one that stands out above the rest in Arizona. [...]
Group B Streptococcus bacteria is a leading cause of infection and death within the first week of life. Each year about 40 infants less than 1-week old get early-onset group B strep disease in Arizona. The bacteria can cause life-threatening infections like sepsis (infection of the blood), pneumonia (infection in the lungs), and meningitis (infection [...]
The 5 most common hospital-acquired infections cost the U.S. health care system almost $10B a year, according to a new study by Harvard researchers. The study was published online in JAMA Internal Medicine this week. According to CDC, one out of every 20 patients admitted to a hospital will pick up an infection while there. Central [...]
Valley Fever typically peaks in late fall and early winter with a minor peak from June to August (refer to the 2007-2011 Valley Fever Report). Those who've been in Arizona for a while may know that Valley Fever is a lung infection caused by a fungus that is common in the soil here. In most cases, [...]
Those who have been in Arizona for a while may know that Valley Fever is a lung infection caused by a fungus that is common in the soil here. In most cases, people with Valley Fever have very mild symptoms like cough, fatigue and shortness of breath that they may confuse with the common cold. [...]
Another AZ monsoon season has come and gone. The seasonal winds blow more than dust in the air, they stir up questions and concerns about Valley Fever. Those who have been in Arizona for a while may know that Valley Fever is a lung infection caused by a fungus that’s common in our desert soil (below [...]
Making good decisions about prioritizing which public health issues to tackle and how to target our interventions rests on our ability to collect and analyze public health data. For infectious disease surveillance that means have a base of solid reporting and surveillance so we can analyze infectious disease trends. For chronic diseases, we need to [...]
Robert Koch was a German physician that’s considered one of the primary founders of microbiology- setting the foundation for loads of public health interventions that have drastically improved our quality of life. He was the first scientist to verify the Germ Theory of Disease (in 1876) by showing that anthrax is caused by a bacteria [...]
This week, the FDA approved and the CDC has recommended the use of a new vaccine called Prevnar 13™ for healthy kids children age 2-59 months. The new shot prevents invasive pneumococcal disease from 13 different kinds of pneumonia germs. It also prevents many germs that cause middle ear infections and some kinds of meningitis. [...]
This week, the FDA approved and the CDC has recommended the use of a new vaccine called Prevnar 13™ for healthy kids children age 2-59 months. The new shot prevents invasive pneumococcal disease from 13 different kinds of pneumonia germs. It also prevents many germs that cause middle ear infections and some kinds of meningitis. [...]
