Aspergillus at Seattle Children’s and Public Health’s role in healthcare-associated infection (HAI) response

November 19, 2019.Reading time 10 minutes.

Update December 9, 2019 — At the November 21st King County Board of Health meeting (video link), Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, announced his intention to make healthcare-associated Aspergillus infections reportable to Public Health in King County. This could help ensure all facilities are tracking and reporting […]

TB evaluation at Auburn Medical Center

November 13, 2019.Reading time 7 minutes.

An X-ray of the chest of a man with tuberculosis. The areas infected with TB bacteria are colored red. Science Photo Library/Corbis

An employee at MultiCare Auburn Medical Center who worked in their Family Birth Center was recently diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB) disease. The employee came into contact with patients and staff during a five-month period in 2019. Public Health – Seattle & King County is providing guidance to MultiCare as they identify and test exposed individuals. The […]

Local high school students boost cancer-preventing vaccinations for HPV

November 12, 2019.Reading time 7 minutes.

High school students from across King County are carrying a powerful health message to their peers. They are talking about human papillomavirus (HPV), the cancers it can cause, and why it is so important for teens to get vaccinated against HPV. The HPV Vaccine Champion Summit, recently hosted by Public Health – Seattle & King […]

Community health workers increase access to health care for South Seattle communities

November 8, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

Only one year into the five-year CDC-funded grant, the King County Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (KCREACH) program is making progress towards better health outcomes. KCREACH strives to reduce health disparities for African American, African-born, and Asian American communities in south Seattle, SeaTac and Tacoma through nutrition, physical activity and connecting community to […]

The Public Health Notebook: Snapshots from October 2019

October 31, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The Public Health Insider has more information on how new WIC cards make a better experience for clients, and also on how to recognize the signs of overdose and where deadly fentanyl has been found. With health insurance enrollment beginning, you’ll find lots of information on our website about enrollment events where you can get […]

Deathcap Mushroom Season is here: Mushroom foragers should take extreme care

October 31, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

Watch out, mushroom foragers. Fall rains bring blooms of Amanita phalloides, better known as the death cap mushroom. They are common in Western Washington, and were found recently on the University of Washington Seattle campus. The death cap mushroom has no distinctive odor or taste and resembles other nontoxic varieties. Consumption of the Amanita […]

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