Communicable Disease (CD) Investigation and Control

 Yolo County Public Health Nurses investigate individual reports of highly contagious, or communicable, diseases, and take whatever steps are necessary to control outbreaks in the community. PHNs ensure that the affected person and their close personal contacts are treated as necessary, develop programs to prevent future disease outbreaks, provide public and professional education and collaborate with other organizations at the State and Local level to control the spread of disease.

Yolo County List of Reportable Diseases

Communicable Disease Investigation

Once a reportable disease is reported, the Public Health Nurse begins an investigation to:

• Confirm the diagnosis and the original source of the disease
• Verify the disease
• Locate affected persons
• Provide affected persons with information about the disease
• Look for any common mode of transmission between affected persons
• Provide affected persons and the public, if necessary, with information about the disease, including: symptoms, how diagnosis is confirmed, how the disease is spread, and how to prevent it.

Sometimes PHN's work with other Health Department staff to control or stop an outbreak. An example of this is when restaurants or day care facilities are involved, Public Health Nurses may work with Environmental Health staff to develop a coordinated response.

Communicable Disease Reporting

Tuberculosis Control

West Nile Virus