We are now well into the hot summer months and, with frequent excessive heat warnings, Arizonans are cooling off by splashing into pools and water parks around the state. Swimming has many health benefits , but it’s important to practice safe swimming in order to avoid injury or illness. Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are caused [...]
On Tuesday, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health confirmed the first human case of West Nile Virus in Arizona this season. West Nile virus can cause severe illness, although only about 20% of those infected will develop any symptoms at all, usually flu-like: fever, headache, body aches, and muscle weakness. We distributed a joint [...]
We recently published our HIV/AIDS Integrated Epidemiologic Profile, which includes data from 2009-2012 and contains information about comorbidity of HIV with other infectious diseases like tuberculosis, valley fever, and some STDs. In comparison to other states, Arizona’s case count is average. As of 2013, 15,798 people in Arizona were living with HIV/AIDS and 730 Arizonans were [...]
Summertime is the season for pool parties, barbecues, picnics and other outdoor family fun. These events are a great opportunity to get together with friends and family and share a meal. However, our hot outdoor temperatures can result in the rapid growth of dangerous bacteria on food, which could lead to foodborne illness. Did you [...]
Our Diabetes Program has launched a mobile health patient engagement program for the first time in Arizona. This initiative will target patients with diabetes or diabetes risk factors, as well as at-risk women and children, through the use of automated text messaging. In partnership with Adelante Healthcare, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we will [...]
Our Arizona State Public Health Laboratory has been selected as a Level 1 Laboratory in the USDA's Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Cooperative Agreement Program. FERN currently comprises federal, state, and local government regulatory laboratories with varying capacities to perform threat agent testing. The FERN Program enhances the nation's ability to detect microbiological, radiological and chemical threat agents [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia on May 9, 2015, when 42 days (two incubation periods) passed since the last Ebola patient was buried. However, the WHO recommended that Liberia maintain heightened surveillance for another 90 days (until August 7, 2015). This led to changes, that began [...]
This year marked the third year that our Division of Licensing Services and Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Program partnered with the InterMountain ESRD Network and others to provide a day-long educational session for end-stage renal dialysis (ESRD) providers in Arizona. More than 200 participants attended this year’s ADVICE Collaborative to identify data-driven opportunities to improve [...]
A new virus known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. More than 1,000 cases of the disease and more than 400 deaths have been reported by the World Health Organization. Cases have been reported from 25 different countries, all linked to nine countries within the Arabian Peninsula. The U.S. [...]
Our Arizona Diabetes Program hosted a first of its kind Tribal and Urban Indian Diabetes Programs meeting on June 10th. This meeting allowed our Diabetes Program and tribal partners to identify opportunities for partnership while assessing the current diabetes health infrastructure among tribal entities. It is the Arizona Diabetes Program's goal to provide technical assistance [...]
