Arizona Department of Health Services, Director’s Blog

Changes in Screening and Monitoring of Travelers Returning from Sierra Leone

businessman at the airportThe WHO declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone on Nov. 7 when 42 days (two incubation periods) passed since the last Ebola patient was released from a Sierra Leone Ebola Treatment Unit. This led to modifications of entry screening and monitoring for […]

By | November 17th, 2015|Preparedness|Comments Off on Changes in Screening and Monitoring of Travelers Returning from Sierra Leone

New “Brighten the Family Table” Campaign Launches

Brighten the Family Table -broccoliThe Arizona Nutrition Network in our Bureau of Nutrition and Physical Activity showcases a new campaign that encourages people to “Brighten the Family Table” with colorful vegetables and fruits. The campaign features a variety of healthy, colorful foods such as bright red peppers, colorful carrots, green […]

By | November 16th, 2015|Prevention|2 Comments

Unique Approach to Timely Dengue and Chikungunya Surveillance

Dengue and chikungunya are two mosquito-borne viruses that Arizonans can contract when traveling outside the country. If a mosquito in Arizona bites an infected person during their illness, it would be possible for the virus to start spreading in the state. To prevent this from happening, it is important […]

By | November 12th, 2015|Preparedness|1 Comment

HIV Testing and Awareness Campaign Begins

Our HIV Prevention Program in the Bureau of Tobacco and Chronic Disease launched Arizona’s first statewide HIV prevention media campaign in late October. The media campaign uses the tagline Its Only Dangerous When You Don’t Know It’s Thereand is designed to positively promote and support HIV-related public health and safety. The campaign […]

By | November 11th, 2015|Prevention|Comments Off on HIV Testing and Awareness Campaign Begins

Disease Detectives Investigating Rise in Valley Fever Cases

HaboobEvery year in the United States approximately 150,000 people are believed to be infected by Coccidioidomycosis, the fungus that causes Valley Fever. It is one of the most commonly reported infectious diseases in Arizona, and our state accounts for 65 percent of all reported cases in the US.

Most people that […]

By | November 10th, 2015|Preparedness|Comments Off on Disease Detectives Investigating Rise in Valley Fever Cases

ADHS is published again

Recently, two manuscripts from the ADHS Office of Infectious Disease Services were published in the Journal of Correctional Health Care. These publications described two outbreaks of botulism at an Arizona correctional facility in a 4-month period. Botulism, usually associated with improperly canned foods, causes flaccid paralysis that can lead to […]

By | November 9th, 2015|Preparedness|Comments Off on ADHS is published again