Infection Prevention & Control Program

Laboratories and Healthcare Providers are required by law to report certain diseases to the local health department. Some diseases are recorded to become a part of the Local, State and National statistics. Other diseases require public health measures, or interventions. These diseases include, but are not limited to:

• Foodborne illnesses
• Hepatitis
• Tuberculosis
• Lyme disease
• Meningitis
• Polio
• Outbreaks

The Howard County Health Department may contact you for information that will assist in the investigation, and help to prevent others from getting sick.

See Maryland's Infectious Disease Bureau or CDC.gov for specific disease information.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are diarrhea, stomach pain or cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. If you have diarrhea or vomiting, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (not having enough water in your body).

If you are pregnant and experience any food poisoning symptoms, have a fever, and other flu-like symptoms, please see your doctor.  Some mild infections can cause problems with pregnancy.

The five signs of severe food poisoning are*:

• bloody diarrhea
• diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days
• high fever (temperature over 102°F)
• frequent vomiting (unable to keep any liquids down)
• signs of dehydration, which include not urinating (peeing) much, a dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up.

*Contact a medical provider if you have any of these symptoms.

Additional resources for common Foodborne illnesses:

• Campylobacter
  • Fact Sheet
• E.coli (STEC)
  • Fact Sheet
• Shigella
  • Fact Sheet
• Salmonella
  • Fact Sheet
• Listeria
  • Fact Sheet
• Bacillus cereus
  • Fact Sheet

Food Safety: Bacteria & Viruses

Preventing Foodborne Illness

USDA Safe Food Handling and Preparation

Foodsafety.gov 4 Steps to Food Safety

If you believe you have gotten sick as a result of food eaten at a food service facility in Howard County, please contact our Food Protection Program and let us know.

Measles starts with fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat. It’s followed by a rash that spreads over the body. Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing. Make sure you and your child are protected with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Resources:

• Measles (Rubeola) Main Page - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• About Measles webpage - CDC
• Measles Vacine webpage - CDC
• About Measles (Spanish) - CDC - Sobre Sarampión

Resources for preventing mosquito bites and protecting yourself from the harmful diseases they carry.

Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory illness that can affect anyone. RSV typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can cause serious illness in infants and older adults. RSV typically occurs during the fall and winter months and is the most common cause of inflammation or infection of the lungs in children younger than one year of age. 

People at highest risk for severe disease include

• Premature infants
• Young children with congenital (from birth) heart or chronic lung disease
• Young children with compromised (weakened) immune systems due to a medical condition or medical treatment
• Children with neuromuscular disorders
• Adults with compromised immune systems
• Older adults, especially those with underlying heart or lung disease

Lyme Disease is a bacteria transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Blacklegged tick (or deer tick). Symptoms may include headache, fever, and the characteristic "bulls-eye" skin rash (erythema migrans). If not treated, the infection can spread to joints, heart and nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (like the rash) and the possibility of exposure to ticks.

The Health Department encourages people of all ages to get a seasonal flu shot from a healthcare provider, local pharmacy, retailer or big box store. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school (even virtual school) due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths.