Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response Program

The IDSR Program monitors reports of suspected and known infectious diseases in Howard County. We use this information to prevent and control the spread of disease.

IDSR Team Members:

• Identify diseases to initiate investigations and implement measures to control spread of disease through outbreak management.

• Provide guidance to partners such as healthcare professionals, facilities, and other agencies and organizations regarding disease prevention, control and testing.

• Complete rabies investigations to determine exposure risks and recommend/coordinate post exposure prophylaxis when applicable.

• Follow up with constituents reporting illness from food establishments to investigate possible causative agent and protect others from getting sick.

• The IDSR team partners with our Environmental Health bureau to address concerns regarding suspected human rabies exposures.   

• Our nurses are trained to evaluate situations and provide guidance regarding Post Exposure Prophylaxis, if necessary, to persons who have been exposed to rabies. 

• Rabies titer testing is offered for at risk groups. 

• If you have concerns about a potentially infected animal, please contact Environmental Health at: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/health/rabies-prevention or https://www.howardcountymd.gov/health/report-animal-bite.

• The IDSR team schedules visits to Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing facilities providing infectious disease education and guidance as well as information on reporting requirements.   

• Our goal is to serve as a resource for administrators to prevent and manage on-site illness in these establishments. 

• The IDSR team utilizes various laboratory surveillance systems to gather data on infectious diseases in our community. 

• Data collected is used to monitor disease trends and take action to prevent or manage outbreaks and protect the health of community members.

• Once a lab report is received, follow up for a person who is exposed or infected may include: assessment of symptoms, treatment options, and resources regarding the specific infectious agent. 

• The IDSR team partners with our Environmental Health bureau regarding foodborne illness complaints. 

• Interviews are conducted with complainants of foodborne illnesses and resources are provided as needed. 

• If you have concerns about an establishment, please utilize the link below to contact Environmental Health: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/health/food-protection-program

• The IDSR team partners with impacted facilities in our jurisdiction, providing disease specific guidance and resources for treatment and follow-up care to those impacted. 

• Increases in disease trends and occurrence that exceed normal expectancy warrant an outbreak investigation. 

• During outbreak management, we strive to mitigate infectious disease transmission and address questions or concerns about health and safety of Howard County residents.  

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

We follow HIPAA privacy regulations to provide patients with assurances that their sensitive health data will remain confidential, will be only used for healthcare purposes, will only be shared within health care agencies when necessary.  

This guarantee of confidentiality ensures a foundation of trust exists between you and the Howard County Health Department. 

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.

Information for Healthcare Providers

Howard County Healthcare Providers who need to submit a reportable illness case to the Health Department should call 410-313-1412. Providers may also email infectiousdisease@howardcountymd.gov for assistance.

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
• Measles Health Advisory - CDC
•  Top 4 Things Parents Need to Know about Measles - CDC

Everyone—in the United States and around the world—is vulnerable to diseases spread by infected mosquitoes.

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.

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is caused by one of several types of viruses, commonly caused by coxsackievirus A16. It is common in children under 5 years old, but anyone can get it. This mostly occurs in summer and fall. 

HFMD is contagious. Someone is most contagious during the first week when they are sick and the virus is found is their nose and throat secretions, fluid from blisters and feces. 

People can get HFMD when they come into contact with droplets that contain the virus, touching an infected person, touching an infected person’s poop (such as changing diapers) then touching your eyes, nose or mouth and touching objects and surfaces that have the virus on them. 

Symptoms of HFMD are fever and flu-like symptoms, mouth sores and skin rash on palms of the hands and soles of the feet. 

You can help to prevent and control the spread of HFMD by: 

• Washing hands, especially after going to the bathroom, changing diapers and/or handling diapers or other stool‑soiled material. 

• Covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. 

• Washing toys and other surfaces that may have saliva on them. 

• Keeping your child home from childcare or school settings if the child has a fever, uncontrollable “hand to mouth” behavior, not able to contain secretions, or child has draining sores that cannot be covered. 

For more information: 

• MDH HFMD
• CDC HFMD