Blogs

July 28 is World Hepatitis Day. We hear about hepatitis, and we know it’s bad, but do we know what it is? Do we know how it is spread and do we know enough to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe? Let’s start with some basics. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver processes nutrients, filters the blood and fights infections, so if it is inflamed, these things can be affected. Things such as alcohol use, some medications and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. However, it is usually caused by a virus. In the United States, we classify the most common types of viral hepatitis as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Benjamin Franklin said it best, but unfortunately, there is a subset of individuals in Spokane County who are living it, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Some people in our community are not prepared for measles. 

Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu.

National Influenza Vaccination Week 2018

Dec. 2 – 8, 2018

Two Spokane County individuals, each under the age of 10, were confirmed to have E. coli O157:H7 infections that could be linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region.