Communicable Disease

Communicable Disease

Communicable diseases are contagious illnesses that can be spread from person-to-person, through contact with animals or insects, or through contaminated food or water. The Communicable Disease staff work to detect, investigate, manage and prevent communicable diseases and disease outbreaks. Staff collects, analyzes and reports disease data, and provides public health consultation and education for health care providers and the public.

Certain diseases and outbreaks in Colorado are https://drive.google.com/file/d/16H86FrKGjoK3nDaYBpfqbR9YrcFNs9Gq/view The Communicable Disease staff may contact persons who have been ill to determine where they may have gotten sick and try to prevent further spread of illness. Staff investigate disease outbreaks in long-term care facilities, child care facilities, schools, restaurants and other group settings. We attempt to identify the cause of the outbreak and immediately put control measures into place.

Campylobacter

Cryptosporidium

Giardia

Salmonella

Shiga toxin-producing Ecoli

Shigella

Gastrointestinal (GI) illness is caused by a variety of different disease-causing germs that can be acquired by consuming contaminated food or beverages, contact with contaminated recreational water, infected animals or their environments, or infected people. These germs can cause a variety of symptoms, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, body aches, headaches and sometimes rash.  The Communicable Disease staff monitor and investigate GI illnesses that are spread through food, water, person-to-person contact and contact with infected animals.

TB Testing

We do not provide routine TB testing that may require for school or work to low-risk individuals.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can potentially cause serious illness. West Nile virus is considered to be permanent in Colorado and infections can be expected each year.