‘Don’t stuff that turkey’ and other Thanksgiving food safety tips

November 22, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

Sure, Thanksgiving is a joyful time spent with family and friends, but if you’re like me and you’re cooking two turkeys, eight side dishes, three desserts and an entire appetizer spread, it can be stressful too. Plus, now that I work in public health, my guests expect that the food I prepare will not make […]

Why now is a good time for a flu shot

November 17, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

With the holidays drawing near, many of us look forward to travel or seeing family and friends. And just as our schedules get busier, it’s also the time of year when the flu starts to circulate. We turned to Libby Page, manager of our immunizations program, to get the scoop on flu vaccine . Why […]

Antibiotic resistant gonorrhea found in King County

November 6, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in the healthcare community. Antibiotic resistance is said to have occurred when an antibiotic loses its ability to effectively kill bacteria. The bacteria are “resistant” meaning that they continue to multiply, and the infected person is not cured. Public Health – Seattle & King County’s STD Clinic Director, Dr. […]

Preventing a hepatitis A outbreak in King County

September 27, 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by a highly contagious virus. A large outbreak in San Diego, along with outbreaks in Los Angeles and in Salt Lake City has Public Health officials concerned that a hepatitis A outbreak could occur in King County. Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County’s Health Officer, explains who’s at risk […]

How protecting your dog’s health also protects yours

September 15, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

At Public Health, we usually leave dog-related health issues to our friends in the veterinary community, but when furry companions start getting people sick, our ears perk up. Our epidemiologists and veterinarians specialize in zoonotic diseases – diseases caused by germs that can be spread from animals to humans. We want your pup to be […]

New cases of Legionnaires’ Disease at Local Hospital

August 25, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

The University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) has notified Public Health – Seattle & King County of two patients who were diagnosed with a serious type of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease caused by infection with Legionella bacteria. The patients’ medical histories suggest that exposure to Legionella happened while hospitalized at UWMC. The first patient, a male in his 40’s, […]