Two More Measles Cases Confirmed in San Diego Date: March 6, 2014 Two more San Diego residents were confirmed today to have measles after exposure to an ill individual who returned from a recent trip to the Philippines. The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) issued a press release today notifying the public about potential exposures at the following locations: Pettit Kohn law offices, 11622 El Camino Real, Suite 300, San Diego, on Feb. 28 from 8am to 7pm and March 3 from 8am to 10am; Naval Base ... March 7, 2014 Public Health Measles 0 0 Comment Read More »
Measles Case Confirmed in San Diego Click Here to Download This February 14 CAHAN Health Alert in PDF Along With a Health Advisory Published on FEbruary 19 California Health Alert Network Date: February 21, 2014 Measles Case Confirmed in San Diego A San Diego resident was confirmed today to have measles after returning from a recent trip to the Philippines. This is the first case diagnosed in San Diego since July 2013. There is an ongoing measles outbreak in the Philippines where over 1,700 cases and 21 deaths were noted in 2013. The individual may have exposed others at Branch ... February 24, 2014 Public Health Measles, Public Health, Vaccinations 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medical Student’s Idea Sparks Bill That Calls for Warning Labels on All Sugary Drinks He got the idea for a bill that would mandate a warning label for sugary drinks from the students he taught in his high school science class. Teaching in a low-income public school in San Jose, Tom Gaither, now a first-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, said students were allowed to bring drinks to class — and many of them brought sugar-laden sodas and energy drinks. “So many of the kids didn’t know how bad surgery beverages were for them,” says Gaither. ... February 20, 2014 Medical Students, Public Health Medical Students, Obesity, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
Legislation Calls for Safety Warning Labels to Highlight Health Risks of Sugary Drinks By the California Medical Association Contact James Noonan at (916) 551-2870 Sacramento — Armed with overwhelming research linking soda and sugary drink consumption to skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay, the nation’s first legislation requiring safety warning labels on sugary drinks sold in California was introduced today by State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel). “When the science is this conclusive, the state of California has a responsibility to take steps to protect consumers,” stated Senator Monning. “As with tobacco and alcohol warnings, this legislation will give Californians essential information they need ... February 13, 2014 Public Health Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
"Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question" Choosing Wisely: An Initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation San Diego Physician magazine is publishing various Choosing Wisely lists of “Things Physicians and Patients Should Question.” Choosing Wisely is an initiative of the ABIM Foundation to help physicians and patients engage in conversations to reduce overuse of tests and procedures, and support physician efforts to help patients make smart and effective care choices. Originally conceived and piloted by the National Physicians Alliance through a Putting the Charter Into Practice grant, leading medical specialty societies, along with Consumer Reports, have ... January 28, 2014 Public Health Choosing Wisely 0 0 Comment Read More »
Love Your Heart This Valentine's Day You and your practice can be part of a countywide effort to increase San Diegans' awareness of their blood pressure (BP) values and the role BP plays in heart disease and stroke. San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency’s LiveWell San Diego iniitiative is sponsoring a countywide blood pressure screening day — called Love Your Heart — to be held on Valentine's Day, Friday, February 14. This is the third year the program has taken place, and the goal is to exceed 20,000 BP screens in one business ... January 27, 2014 Public Health LiveWell San Diego, Love Your Heart 0 0 Comment Read More »
Recent Alerts Concerning pH1N1 Influenza From the California Health Alert Network — January 3, 2014 This health alert provides summaries of recent advisories on influenza from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), summarizes current influenza activity in San Diego County, and provides links to useful influenza resources. On December 24, CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory discussing recent reports from several states of severe infection associated with influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 (pH1N1) virus infection. The advisory described critically-ill young and middle-aged adults infected with ... January 6, 2014 Flu, Influenza, Public Health H1N1, Influenza 0 0 Comment Read More »
Chickenpox Exposure at County North Region Family Resource Center December 5, 2013 A person who was ill with varicella visited the North Coastal Family Resource Center in Oceanside on December 2, 2013, and may have exposed others to the disease. The center is located at 1315 Union Plaza Court. Anyone who was present in the waiting area of the facility from 2:00pm to 3:30pm on that date may have been exposed to the disease. Patients and employees who may have been exposed at the Oceanside facility have been advised to seek evaluation from their primary care providers to determine if ... December 5, 2013 Public Health Chickenpox, varicella 0 0 Comment Read More »
Tick-borne Disease in San Diego County November 25, 2013 This alert describes a recently recognized human pathogen detected in ticks in San Diego County, Rickettsia philipii (formerly known as Rickettsia 364D), and provides an update on other tick-borne diseases in the region. An eschar-associated illness caused by Spotted Fever group (SFG) Rickettsia, R. philipii was first recognized in a Northern California resident in 2008. Cases have since been reported in both adults and children. A bite from the Pacific Coast tick (Dermacentor occidentalis) can transmit the infection. The most prominent clinical feature of R. philipii infection is development ... November 25, 2013 Public Health Ticks 0 0 Comment Read More »
November Is National COPD Awareness Month In recognition of national COPD awareness month, the California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation is encouraging physicians to talk to their patients about simple measures they can take to improve their lung function. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a serious lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. Also known as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, it recently surpassed stroke as the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are diagnosed with COPD, and an additional 12 million are likely to have the disease ... November 20, 2013 Public Health COPD 0 0 Comment Read More »