The purpose of the Communicable Disease Program is to prevent and control the spread of diseases. Activities carried out in support of this program include:
- Immunizing the public against vaccine preventable communicable diseases.
- Reporting communicable diseases.
- Investigating outbreaks of suspected reportable diseases.
- Educating the medical community and the population about measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
The Public Health Nurses (PHN) and an Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) are responsible for the case investigation and surveillance of potential outbreaks of food-borne and enteric illnesses.
Rabies Program
The Communicable Disease Nurse is responsible for investigating reports of people being bitten by animals. This may include sending an animal for rabies testing. The CDN is responsible for documenting and reporting results and she works with the local health director, State Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Control officers as needed.
Animal control in the county is operated through the Person County Department of Animal Control. The City of Roxboro operates an Animal Control Program through the police department. One officer enforces the citywide leash control ordinance. The officer also assists the county with rabies control efforts within the city limits.
There were no known cases of rabies in 1994 in Person County. In 1998, there were 2 cases of rabies, in 1999, there were 2 cases of rabies, and thus far in 2000 through the end of April there are 3 cases of rabies. In the years 2001-2002, there were 9 cases of rabies in Person County.
Greater efforts must be made to educate the community about this danger. Collaboration is being sought with the Animal Protection Society, the local game warden, schools, veterinarians, and the media to achieve a will-informed and ever vigilant public.
TB Control Program
The goal of the TB Control Program is to limit the spread of TB, interrupting transmission through appropriate disease treatment, minimizing the number of people who become newly infected and providing preventive treatment to those who are infected is necessary to accomplish this goal. Follow-up care is provided to TB patients, individuals who have been in contact with these people and individuals suspected of contact.
TB screening is available usually for a minimal charge and in some high-risk cases is available free of charge. The program offers free diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of suspected cases of TB, confirmed cases of TB and individuals suspected of being a contact of TB.
The program involves investigative cases and contact finding, case management, radiology services, laboratory and pharmacological services. The program also offers directly observed therapy (DOT) on all confirmed TB patients and some patients receiving preventive medication therapy.
Immunization Program
The goals of the Immunization Program are to prevent or control vaccine preventable communicable diseases. The primary focus of this program is completing the basic series of Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP); Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR); Haemophilus Influenza Type B, and Hepatitis B vaccines according to protocols. A secondary goal is to reduce communicable disease. Public health nurses enforce the immunization required by law through their participation in community and private daycare centers and the public and private schools.
Ninety-two percent of the county’s children two years old have met immunization requirements in a timely manner. Our goal is to increase this percentage from 93% to 95%. The Roxboro Kiwanis Club and the Roxboro Golden K (retired Kiwanians), as well as local restaurants, such as McDonalds, Hardees, and Pizza Hut have been instrumental in providing resources and support to assist the health department in meeting this goal.
An immunization program for sixth graders at the middle schools was implemented in September 1995. This program has provided the Hepatitis B vaccine series and Hepatitis B education to the students and parents. There has been good participation at each of the schools with an average of 80% participating. State funding for this program was reduced in FY 00-01.