News Archive

West Nile Virus Still Around -- Protect Yourself Against Mosquito Bites (Sept. 2010): Though it may seem like autumn has arrived along with cool nights, the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment reminds you that West Nile season is still very much with us.

Since July 1, a total of eight cases of West Nile virus infection have been confirmed in Larimer County. Out of those eight, six had West Nile fever, and one was discovered to have West Nile infection after donating blood. The eighth person was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis, but is now recovering at home.

"This should remind all of us that West Nile Virus is still a threat and that it can make even a healthy person very sick," said Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, director of the Health Department. "It's wise to continue to use an effective mosquito repellent...until the first frost."

In 2009, there were a total of 25 confirmed cases of West Nile illness in Larimer County. Sixteen of the 25 were reported after September 1.

For more information on West Nile Virus and effective repellents, visit www.larimer.org/health.
Larimer County Department of Health and Environment Honored for Excellence and Innovation (Aug. 2010): The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) honored the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDHE) with a Model Practice Award at its 2010 annual conference. LCDHE was one of 24 local health departments across the country honored for creating and implementing programs that demonstrate exemplary results.

LCDHE was honored for creating web-based tools that helped ensure efficient mass H1N1 vaccination clinics. Through online and telephone registration systems, LCDHE was able to recruit and schedule volunteers, schedule patients for vaccination times that significantly reduced waits, and provided secure online tools for clinic operations and planning details that could be shared among key staff and partners.

"Our goal was to develop a system that would help us overcome the problems that plague mass vaccination clinics in times of vaccine shortages," said Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, director of the Department of Health and Environment. "Based on patient feedback, we achieved that. The public expressed great overall satisfaction with the registration process and the ease of getting through the clinics," LeBailly added. "That was largely due to the appointments being spread over time - as well as knowing they would get their vaccine and not be turned away after a long wait."

The majority (60 percent) of clients were vaccinated in 10 minutes or less; 94 percent were vaccinated in 20 minutes or less. And 99.6 percent of surveyed clients expressed satisfaction with their H1N1 clinic experience. Positive outcomes of the program included - Short clinic (wait and vaccination) times for clients
- Little to no crowding
- Adequate supplies of vaccine per clinic since numbers of appointments were based on amount of vaccine available
- Public convenience of registering at home for a preferred time and vaccine type
- Cost savings by using over 300 volunteers who signed up using the simple online system

"I believe we were the first local health department to use an online registration system for H1N1 vaccination clinics," said LeBailly. LeBailly was quick to add that the success of this model program involved many county staff and community partners. "The Health Department's staff, our business analyst, and the county webmaster were really instrumental to making this happen. We also had critical assistance of our community partners, including the Health District of Northern Larimer County and the United Way of Larimer County."

The model practices chosen by NACCHO reflect the wide range of work performed by local health departments nationwide. "Each is an example of locally driven innovation," said NACCHO Executive Director Robert Pestronk. "These ground-breaking programs can be replicated by other local health departments or adapted to their own practice."

The county health department's program will soon be available for use by other local health departments nationwide. "We believe there's a good chance that other organizations will see the real benefits we experienced in our mass vaccination clinics and choose to adopt it," said LeBailly. "It also has advantages for other large vaccination clinics and other events where services will be offered to large numbers of people, not just for emergencies."

Since 2003, NACCHO's Model Practice program has honored local initiatives. All model practices are catalogued in an online, searchable database in areas ranging from immunization and maternal and child health to infectious diseases and emergency preparedness. The NACCHO Model Practice database allows local health department users to benefit from colleagues' experiences, to learn what works, and to ensure that resources are used wisely. It also enables NACCHO to share information with key stakeholders and media about the good work being done by local health departments across the country.
West Nile Virus Mosquitoes Confirmed in Larimer County (July 2010): Mosquitoes from one trap in southeast Fort Collins have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to officials at the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. The mosquitoes were collected the week of July 19th - 23rd.

"The numbers of Culex mosquitoes, the kind that carry West Nile virus, are increasing rapidly in this hot weather," said Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, director of the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. West Nile virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can cause mild to severe illness and, in some cases, leads to chronic disability or death.

Mosquito traps are placed each week in Fort Collins, Loveland, Timnath and Berthoud. "It's already been a week since many of those mosquitoes were trapped, so it's likely that the number of infected mosquitoes has risen since then," LeBailly added. "Especially for the next six weeks, it's very important to wear repellent between dusk and dawn, when Culex mosquitoes are most active."

The continuing hot weather can be expected to have an impact on the prevalence of West Nile virus. In hot weather, mosquitoes grow from larvae to adult mosquitoes very quickly, increasing their numbers. Higher nighttime temperatures will likely lead to more mosquito activity that can result in transmission of the virus to humans.

Six confirmed cases of human West Nile virus (WNV) infection have been reported in Colorado through July 26: one each from Larimer, Moffat, Prowers, Pueblo, Sedgwick and Weld Counties. Human case reports tend to lag three to four weeks behind the time the person is actually bitten by an infected mosquito, so these numbers reflect what was happening nearly a month ago.

The surest way to prevent getting West Nile virus is to avoid mosquito bites. Preventive steps you can take include:
-- Use a mosquito repellent that has been proven to be effective against West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes. Ones that contain DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (with active ingredient PMD, or p-menthane diol) or IR3535 are good choices.
-- Use mosquito netting over baby carriers and strollers.
-- Keep exposed skin covered or use a repellent when out at prime Culex mosquito-biting hours, between dusk and dawn.
-- Use a powerful fan while sitting on your deck or patio to keep mosquitoes away.
-- Drain standing water in your yard or in your garden.
-- Add mosquito-eating minnows or mosquito "dunks" to ornamental ponds with still water.
-- Keep window screens repaired.

For more tips on what you can do to prevent West Nile virus, or on repellent use, visit www.larimer.org/health or call 498-6700.
Health Department Urges Caution When in Close Contact With Bats (July 2010): As many people with sharp eyes can attest, summer evenings are prime time for bat activity. The interesting critters are a part of our summer ecosystem, and from July through early fall the numbers of bats in Larimer County increase as several species reside or migrate through our area.

Three bats captured in Larimer County the week of July 12th were recently confirmed as positive for rabies. As beneficial as bats may be for pollination and pest control, there are some precautions that people need to take to avoid human/bat encounters that could transmit rabies, a deadly disease in humans and pets.

"This summer's numbers (of bats confirmed positive for rabies) have not been unusual," said Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, director of the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. "When you have an increased population of bats, as we do during the summer, it's not unusual for some to have rabies. These are usually the bats that behave abnormally and allow humans or pets to get near them."

The bats found recently were either handled by a person or found in close contact to people or family pets.

The issue of rabies in bats recurs each summer when the health department receives reports of positive rabies tests in bats that have been collected by the Larimer Humane Society and tested by the CSU veterinary lab or the state health department.

According to LeBailly, most bats do not carry rabies and pose little health risk if not touched by people or pets. However, bats that are visible and approachable during the day, behave abnormally, have trouble flying, or allow a person to handle them are more likely to be infected with rabies. "In Larimer County, a bat that has direct contact with humans or pets has about a 10-15 percent chance of being infected with rabies."

A person or a family pet could come in close enough contact with an infected bat that the bat can pass the infection on through bites or getting bat saliva in small cuts or sores. Bats have very tiny, sharp teeth, and a person can often be bitten without being aware of it.

Each summer a small number of Larimer County residents receive rabies post-exposure treatment for possible contact with rabid bats. These vaccinations are expensive, but will prevent rabies illness from occurring in the event the person was infected. If a bat that may have bitten or scratched a person is tested and found positive for rabies, it is always recommended that rabies vaccinations be started immediately. Rabies can also be carried by dogs, cats, raccoons and skunks after being infected by an animal with rabies. Any infected mammal can transmit the infection to humans through a bite.

"Rabies is a virtually always a fatal disease," said LeBailly. "Waiting for treatment until symptoms appear means it's too late."

Sometimes it is recommended that a person receive preventive treatment for rabies when the actual bat was not caught or tested. "If a person has been bitten or otherwise exposed to bat saliva, but was unable to capture the bat for testing, it's recommended that they too undergo rabies post-exposure treatment as a precaution," LeBailly said. "Better to be safe and prevent any possible rabies infection." She added that testing a bat for rabies not only reveals positive cases, but also reveals if a bat does not carry rabies, thus sparing a person the vaccine treatment series.

The vaccine, once feared because of the required painful multiple shots in the abdomen, is now given in a series of five injections in the upper arm, given over four visits. The first treatment for rabies preventive treatment consists of two injections and is usually given in an emergency room; the three subsequent visits may be done in the ER or in a physician's office. The health department does not administer rabies post-exposure treatment.

There are steps we all can take to help prevent a human/bat rabies exposure:
-- First, never touch a wild bat or any other wild animal. A healthy bat will likely not come near enough to you to be touched, so a bat that is slow, lying on the ground or who lands on a person could be showing signs of illness. If you can touch it, chances are it is sick. If you find a group of baby bats, they too should not be touched.
-- Keep your doors and windows covered with intact screens. Do not leave screenless doors or windows open in the evening.
-- If you have bats in your house, try to find the source of their entrance and seal it.
-- If you find a dead bat, do not pick it up with your hands, even if you're wearing gloves. Use a shovel.
-- Teach your children that they should never touch a bat. If they find one, they should leave it where it is and tell an adult.
-- If you are bitten by a bat or if you suspect you've been exposed to its saliva, try to contain the bat without touching it, and call the Larimer Humane Society.

To report a dead bat or bat encounter, call the Larimer Humane Society at 226-3647, Ext. 5 or the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment at 498-6775.

Keep your pets vaccinated!

Be sure your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccines. Even an indoor cat can get rabies if bitten inside the house. Unvaccinated dogs and cats that are exposed to a rabies positive bat or other animal with rabies will either have to be euthanized or placed under a mandatory 180-day strict quarantine with the first 90 days at a licensed kennel or veterinary clinic. The high bills from boarding and/or the heartbreak of losing a beloved pet to rabies can be prevented simply by keeping your pets current on their vaccinations.
Group B Meningoccal Bacteria Identified (June 2010): The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment has received lab results from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which showed that a Fort Collins man who had symptoms of meningococcal meningitis, but who had no confirming lab findings in hospital and commercial lab tests, actually had Group B meningococcal disease.

This strain is different from the Group C meningococcal outbreak involving the recent cases in three Fort Collins hockey players and a CSU student who became ill on Memorial Day weekend. It is believed to be a sporadic case; these occur one to three times per year on average in Larimer County.

The man with Group B meningitis (known as "Patient 4") was admitted to the hospital on June 14, the same day as two of the hockey players, but was treated and released from the hospital three days later and is doing well. This is not a new case.

"It was originally thought this person might have a viral strain of meningitis, since all of his cultures were negative," said Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, director of the Health Department.

"Since then, further testing -- done by the CDC to assess any connection to the outbreak -- found DNA evidence of Group B meningococcal bacteria. Though all five cases of illness were caused by meningococcal bacteria, the Group B strain is unrelated to the other four cases we've seen in Larimer County," said LeBailly.

Because he had clinical symptoms of meningitis, his close contacts were treated with antibiotics soon after he became ill.

"Group B meningococcal bacteria are not covered by the meningococcal vaccine. The vaccine protects against the A, C, Y, and W-135 groups. The bacterial group of a meningococcal infection cannot be distinguished by clinical symptoms; only lab testing can identify it.

The Health Department reports no further cases of meningococcal illness at this time. "This is a good thing," said LeBailly. "It means the quick treatment of close contacts has helped to prevent further spread."

The last meningocococal cases in Fort Collins were admitted to the hospital on June 14. A case related to the hockey game in Fort Collins was admitted to a hospital in Montana on June 17. Because the incubation period from exposure to illness is generally two to 10 days, the further one gets from the last exposure, the less the risk of additional cases.