Communicable Disease Updates for

Local Health Departments Q2 2023

Response to the H5N1 Global Outbreak

U.S. public health and clinical partners continue to monitor and respond to the global outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1). Thirteen human cases have been reported globally including one in the U.S., between January 2022 and June 1, 2023, of which six were hospitalized and two, tragically, died. Currently, A(H5N1) is believed to pose a low risk to the health of the general public, however we know that influenza viruses are unpredictable, and the situation can change rapidly.

Throughout the year, any samples testing influenza A positive from a multi-respiratory panel that did not return a valid subtype result should immediately be prioritized for shipment to a public health laboratory. Given the severity of some recent human infections with A(H5N1) viruses, CDC recommends increased surveillance among people who are severely ill with respiratory disease during summer months when seasonal influenza incidence is very low. During the summer months, CDC is asking that clinicians consider influenza testing for patients with respiratory illness, especially those with exposure to birds and/or swine. To identify potential novel influenza cases, hospitals and clinical laboratories are asked to subtype influenza A positive samples from ICU patients either in clinical laboratories or by sending them to state public health laboratories. As a reminder, human infection with any novel influenza A viruses is nationally notifiable and should be reported to state and local health departments.

Thank you for your continued support in this effort and the prevention and control of influenza. Please visit CDC H5N1 Bird Flu Summary or the IDPH Novel Influenza A-Z for the most up-to-date information.

Food Safety During Hot Weather

Did you know that perishable foods can typically be left unrefrigerated for two hours before they need to be chilled or discarded, but when the temperature is above 90°F, food is only safe outside for one hour? Reducing this time will keep your food out of the “Danger Zone” (between 40 and 140°F) so bacteria can't grow.

For more summertime food safety tips visit FoodSafety.gov.

Bat Exposures Are Heating Up

Exposures to bats increase in the summer months due to their increased activity, and this year is no different. Here are some key tips for determining when a bat exposure warrants rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) administration.

Verify the type of exposure (e.g. barehanded, woke up to bat in the bedroom)
Determine if pets or other domestic animals were also exposed.
If a pet or human was exposed, check if the bat is available for rabies testing and arrange for the bat to arrive quickly to the IDPH lab. Rabies PEP is expensive so getting the bat in for testing should be a priority.
If the bat can’t be tested or is tested too long after exposure, the person exposed should start rabies PEP.
If there are bats in the home, ensure the family is aware of the need to hire a company to look for a bat colony. It is best to exclude bats from a home in spring or fall.
See IDPH Rabies A-Z for additional resources on potential rabies exposures and how to access animal rabies lab results (Rabies Testing Results section).

We are also hearing about a number of severe dog attacks on children. Local health department are encouraged to work with your animal control to get messages out about dog bite prevention. Information can be found at AVMA Dog Bite Prevention.

Check out the Tickborne Illness Prevention Resources

RMSF and Lyme Disease Pocket Cards can be printed or copies requested from the IDPH VBD program

Visit our Website

Safe Travels!

Summer means travel and travel can mean exposure to infectious diseases. Travelers can find the common diseases circulating in there destination and what steps they can take (e.g. vaccination) to prevent from getting sick at CDC Traveler's Health.

Local Health Department Awareness Topics

Missed a Webinar?

The IDPH Communicable Disease Section provides a variety of trainings through webinars for new or all local health deparrment staff. If you have missed a recent webinar or are looking for training on a specific topic, check out the Archived Webinars web portal page.