For the first time in nearly 20 years, a Washington resident has been infected with confirmed locally acquired Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). While rare (zero to three cases in Washington per year), this case serves as a good reminder of the possibility of locally acquired tickborne diseases and the need to take appropriate precautions when in tick habitats.
Separate outbreaks of hepatitis A (hep A) and hepatitis B (hep B) occurring in the Spokane community prompted rapid response from Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) to administer Twinrix (hepatitis A and B combination vaccine) to the communities at highest risk for disease acquisition, namely people living homeless, people using injection drugs, and men who have sex with men.
With the last case confirmed on March 18, the Clark County measles outbreak that started at the end of December may finally be nearing an end – 74 cases in Washington have been reported (73 in Clark County, one in King County) and four in the Portland, OR area as of April 16. Public health will declare the outbreak over after two incubation periods (42 days) without new cases.
From Jan. 1, 2019 through April 4, 2019, over 465 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 12 states, already surpassing the entire years’ totals for seven of the last nine years. Public health is asking for healthcare providers’ help to ensure all patients are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations. Parents trust the expertise of their doctor more than anyone else. Explain to patients that MMR vaccine is the best protection against measles infection.
It is important to recognize and remember that all parents want to do what is best for their child. While each family is different and not all methods of communicating will work for every parent or healthcare provider, important communication strategies exist to reassure families of vaccine safety.