Communicable Diseases

Overview

Communicable diseases are diseases that are spread from one person to another through ways that include contact with blood and bodily fluids, breathing in an airborne virus, or by being bitten by an insect.

Reporting and tracking cases of communicable disease is important for planning and evaluation of disease prevention and control programs, in the assurance of appropriate medical therapy, and in the detection of outbreaks. Healthcare providers and laboratories are required by state law to report certain diseases or conditions to their local health department.

Some examples of reportable communicable diseases include:

• Hepatitis A, B & C,
• Influenza, measles, and
• Salmonella and other food borne illnesses.

How do I report cases of a communicable disease?

To report communicable diseases, potential outbreaks and other conditions to the Dorchester County Health Department, call Pamela Quillen, RN, at (410) 228-3223.

Health Care Providers and Laboratory Directors, get the Reportable Conditions List & Instructions and Reportable Conditions Quick Reference​​ ​​​from the Maryland Department of Health’s Infectious Disease Reporting page.

How do communicable diseases spread?

It depends on the specific disease or infectious agent. Some ways in which communicable diseases spread are by:

• Physical contact with an infected person, such as through touch (e.g. staphylococcus), sexual intercourse (e.g. chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV), fecal/oral transmission (hepatitis A), or respiratory droplets (e.g. influenza, tuberculosis)
• Contact with a contaminated surface or object (e.g. Norwalk virus), food (e.g. salmonella, E. coli), blood e.g. (HIV, hepatitis B), or water (e.g. cholera);
• Bites from insects or animals capable of transmitting the disease (e.g. Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease); and
• Travel through the air (e.g. tuberculosis, measles).

Disease Surveillance

The Dorchester County Health Department Communicable Disease Program:

• Monitors all reportable diseases within the county,
• Conducts disease investigation into all reportable diseases,
• Submits reports of these diseases to the Maryland Department of Health,
• Conducts contact investigation and follow-up as needed.

The communicable disease program plays an important role in the containment of outbreaks and is responsible for investigating the situation to determine the potential infectious agent and its transmission route and source. This is to control/prevent the further spread of the infection to others.

The program also serves as an important resource for healthcare providers, community organizations, and the public, providing information on various communicable diseases, disease transmission facts, and necessary precautions to limit the risk or reduce/eliminate the spread of communicable disease.

Adult Vaccinations

Adult Vaccinations

Adult vaccinations are administered to decrease/eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases and maintain health. Individuals ages 18 and above are eligible for adult vaccination services. Costs vary according to vaccine.

Adult vaccinations are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are preferred in order to have adequate vaccine supply available, but walk-ins are accepted based on schedule and vaccine availability.

These include:

• Annual influenza vaccine,
• Pneumonia vaccine,
• Hepatitis B vaccine,
• Measles, mumps & rubella (MMR), 
• Tetanus, diphtheria & pertussis (Tdap or Td), and
• Varicella.

Maryland Vaccine Program Offers Free Adult Vaccines

Free adult vaccines are available now at the Dorchester County Health Department through a new state program.

We want to make sure cost does not stop you from getting protected.

Who is eligible?

You can get free vaccines if you meet all of these requirements:

• You live in Maryland.
• You are age 19 or older.
• AND you fit one of these two categories:
  • You do not have health insurance.
  • You have insurance, but it does not cover the full cost of the shot.

What Free Adult Vaccines are Available?

We offer the following vaccines at no cost:

• Flu & COVID-19
• Shingles
• RSV
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• HPV
• Hepatitis A & B
• Polio
• Pneumonia (Pneumococcal)
• Meningitis (Meningococcal)
• Human Rabies (specific circumstances required)

You may be asked to confirm your insurance status, but all vaccines in this program are free for qualifying Maryland residents.

How to Get Vaccinated

Appointments are required. We cannot accept walk-ins.

• Call to schedule: 410-228-3223
• Location: 627 Race St., Cambridge, MD 21613

Why Get Vaccinated?

Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your family from severe illness. They are especially important for older adults and people with existing health conditions.

Questions?

• Call us at 410-228-3223.
• Email us at dchd.info@maryland.gov
• External Website: Maryland Department of Health Vaccines

(Note: We also have a separate federally funded program for children’s vaccines. For more information about the Vaccines for Children program, please visit our children’s health page or call 410-228-3223.)

Rabies and Travel Vaccines and Employee Health

Rabies pre-exposure vaccine is also administered to high-risk individuals. These high-risk individuals include veterinary hospital staff, animal hunters/trappers, and individuals conducting research on wildlife.

Foreign travel vaccines are also administered to individuals traveling to at-risk areas of the world. These vaccines include the Hepatitis A vaccine and the typhoid vaccine. Preventative measures to reduce risk exposure are discussed at the time of vaccination. All ages are eligible for foreign travel vaccinations.

Employee health is also an important part of the communicable disease program. This includes annual PPD (tuberculosis) skin testing, review and update of employee vaccinations, i.e., MMR, varicella, & tetanus, and employee bloodborne & tuberculosis initial training and annual review.

Looking for Your Immunization Records?

To get a copy of your Maryland immunization record, please contact your healthcare provider or visit the MyIR (My Immunization Record) website.

Any Marylanders who need to have their password reset and need assistance can contact the ImmuNet Help Desk at 410-767-6606.

Fill out this online form if you are unable to access your immunization records on MyIR​.​​

Maryland MyIR Mobile User’s Guide 

Please note that vaccinations given before 2019 or outside of Maryland (except for DC, Delaware, and Virginia) may not be in the MyIR records.

Respiratory Viruses

The Respiratory Virus Data Dashboard above is provided and maintained by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH). If you use assistive technology and require assistance accessing this data, please contact the Dorchester County Health Department at 410-228-3223 or email us and our staff will be happy to provide the information in an accessible format.

2025 Respiratory Virus Prevention

Vaccines are an important and effective way to protect against severe illness and keep communities safe. This respiratory virus season, Maryland is protecting vaccine access for Marylanders of all ages.

As federal government actions around vaccine policy have raised questions for many, Maryland’s public health officials will continue to use science-based guidance to be a trusted resource for people to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.

Visit the state health department respiratory virus prevention page for more information.

The CDC has information for the most common seasonal respiratory virus: COVID-19, influenza (flu) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV).​

COVID-19

Testing

Drive-up COVID-19 testing is available by same-day appointment Mondays through Fridays at the health department at 627 Race St. Please call 410-228-3223 to schedule an appointment.

Testing also is available at pharmacies and other locations in Dorchester County and statewide. 

Rapid, At-Home Tests

Rapid, at-home self test kits,  masks, and/or other COVID-19 supplies are available, while supplies last, at the health department.

At-home self test kits also are available, while supplies last, at numerous other sites throughout the county, including:

• Cambridge – Library, Cambridge Empowerment Center, Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Cambridge Seventh Day Adventist, St. Mary’s Refuge of Sinners, Greater Refuge Temple Church of God, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
• Hurlock – Library, Town Hall, Police Department, Hurlock United Methodist Church
• East New Market Town Hall 
• Eldorado Brookview Fire Hall
• Vienna Town Hall

Call those sites in advance to make sure kits are still available.

Vaccines

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and those you love from COVID-19. Individuals aged 6 months and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

Updated vaccine for those 6 months and older: 

• Vaccinations are available 8 am to 12 pm and 1 to 4 pm Tuesdays through Thursdays at the health department
• Call 410-228-3223 to schedule an appointment.
• Vaccinations also are available at many doctors’ offices and pharmacies.

Vaccine appointments may also be available at area pharmacies. Visit vaccines.gov for locations.

Symptoms

COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, a flu, or pneumonia. COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory system. The disease also may affect other parts of your body.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear from 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.

People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

The vast majority of people recover from this infection. Most people will have mild or moderate symptoms. Older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes have a greater risk for more serious illness. Some people including those with minor or no symptoms may suffer from post-COVID conditions — or “long COVID.”

If you start to develop the symptoms listed above, please call your primary care provider.  If you do not have a health care provider, call the Dorchester County Health Department at 410-228-3223.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

If someone is showing any of these signs, call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility. Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Treatment

What You Need to Know about treatments for COVID-19

• If you test positive for COVID-19 and are more likely to get very sick, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of hospitalization and death.
• Don’t delay: Treatment must be started within days after you first develop symptoms to be effective.
• Other medications can help reduce symptoms and help you manage your illness.

Treating COVID-19

If you test positive and are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. Medications to treat COVID-19 must be prescribed by a healthcare provider and started as soon as possible after diagnosis to be effective. Contact a healthcare provider right away to determine if you are eligible for treatment, even if your symptoms are mild right now.

Don’t delay: Treatment must be started within days of when you first develop symptoms to be effective.

People who are more likely to get very sick include older adults (ages 50 years or more, with risk increasing with age), people who are unvaccinated, and people with certain medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, or a weakened immune system.

Being vaccinated makes you much less likely to get very sick. Still, some vaccinated people, especially those ages 65 years or older or who have other risk factors for severe disease, may benefit from treatment if they get COVID-19.

A healthcare provider will help decide which treatment, if any, is right for you. Check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are taking other medications to make sure the COVID-19 treatments can be safely taken at the same time.

Types of Treatments

Several options are available for treating COVID-19 at home or in an outpatient setting. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized certain antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick.

• Antiviral treatments target specific parts of the virus to stop it from multiplying in the body, helping to prevent severe illness and death.
• Monoclonal antibodies help the immune system recognize and respond more effectively to the virus.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines for healthcare providers to help them work with their patients and determine the best treatment options for them.

Some treatments might have side effects or interact with other medications you are taking. Ask a healthcare provider if medications to treat COVID-19 are right for you. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, visit a Test to Treat location or contact your local community health center or health department.

If you are hospitalized, your healthcare provider might use other types of treatments, depending on how sick you are. These could include medications to treat the virus, reduce an overactive immune response, or treat COVID-19 complications.

Managing COVID-19 Symptoms

Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. You can treat symptoms with over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), to help you feel better.

Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19

If you were exposed to COVID-19, you should start taking precautions right away to avoid spreading the virus to otherssolation, masking, and avoiding contact with people who are at high risk of getting very sick. Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19.

When to Isolate

Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations below. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.

When you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days, as follows:

If you had no symptoms

• Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
• Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
• If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset

If you had symptoms

• Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive
• Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started

Isolation

If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days.

• Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public.
• Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask. For travel guidance, see CDC’s Travel webpage.
• Do not travel.
• Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.

Ending Isolation

End isolation based on how serious your COVID-19 symptoms were.

• You may end isolation after day 5 if you had no symptoms.
• If you had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5 if:
  • You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication)
  • Your symptoms are improving

If you still have fever or your other symptoms have not improved, continue to isolate until they improve.

You need to isolate through day 10 if:

• You had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing).
• You had severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19.
• You have a weakened immune system.

If you had severe illness or have a weakened immune system, consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation without a viral test may not be an option for you.

Talk to a healthcare provider for further guidance, if you are unsure if your symptoms are moderate or severe or if you have a weakened immune system.

Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.

Remember to wear a high-quality mask when indoors around others at home and in public and not go places where you are unable to wear a mask until you are able to discontinue masking.

Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.

Removing Your Mask

After you have ended isolation, when you are feeling better (no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms improving),

Wear your mask through day 10.

OR

If you have access to antigen tests, you should consider using them. With two sequential negative tests 48 hours apart, you may remove your mask sooner than day 10.

Note: If your antigen test results are positive, you may still be infectious. You should continue wearing a mask and wait at least 48 hours before taking another test. Continue taking antigen tests at least 48 hours apart until you have two sequential negative results. This may mean you need to continue wearing a mask and testing beyond day 10.

After you have ended isolation, if your COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.

Prevention

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus.

• These droplets and particles can be breathed in by other people or land on their eyes, noses, or mouth.
• In some circumstances, they may contaminate surfaces they touch.
• People who are closer than 6 feet from the infected person are most likely to get infected.

There are simple steps you can take to reduce your chance of being infected with the COVID-19 virus, including:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer 
• Wear a face covering when you can’t maintain a distance of six feet or when your community risk is moderate or high, and ask others to do the same. Be sure to practice safe handling of your mask to avoid transmission.

The best way to reduce your chance of infection is to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to make sure you are up to date on booster shots.

Resources

For more information about COVID-19, visit:

• Maryland Department of Health COVID-19 Page
• Centers of Disease Control COVID-19 Website
• COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Us

For general questions about COVID-19 or to make an appointment for vaccinations or testing, call the health department at 410-228-3223.

• Maryland Call Line: 211 (available 24/7)
• UMMS Nurse Call Line: 1-888-713-0711 (available 24/7)
• PRMC Nurse Call Line: 410-912-6889

Flu (influenza)

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

Flu is different from a cold and often comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

* It’s important to note that not everyone with the flu will have a fever.

Emergency warning signs in children that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color (for fair tones) and grayish skin color (for darker tones)
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

Emergency warning signs in adults that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness or confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Prevention

A yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common that year. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year before flu activity begins in their community. CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, if possible.

In addition to getting a yearly flu vaccine the following preventive actions can help stop the spread of germs:

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• While sick, limit contact with others, as much as possible, to keep from infecting them.
• If you are sick with a flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to get medical care or for other necessities.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.

Flu vaccines are available through your primary care provider, at most pharmacies and at the health department. Flu and other vaccines are required to be covered by your health insurance without charging a copayment or coinsurance. But, be sure to check with your insurance company to find out if you must go to a specific facility to receive the vaccine. Some insurance plans only cover vaccines given by your doctor or at a limited set of locations.

For more information about flu, visit the Centers for Disease Control flu page. 

Care & Treatment

If you get sick, CDC recommends you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others.

DO NOT send sick children to school “to get checked by the school nurse.” You may call the school nurse with questions; however, we urge you to call your child’s healthcare provider with specific concerns. 

Remember to plan for sick child-care ahead of time, and keep canned soups, bottled juices and frozen juice pops on hand for when someone becomes ill.  Keep age-appropriate fever-reducing medication on hand (check expiration dates). 

Do not give aspirin (or any products containing aspirin) to children of any age (unless instructed by a doctor), due to risk of Reye’s Syndrome, which can result from taking aspirin when a child has a virus.

For Individuals with Special Health Care Needs, please be sure to have all medications and supplies on hand.  Check the expiration dates and replace as needed.

PLEASE NOTE:  People at high risk for influenza complications that become ill with influenza-like illness, should speak to their healthcare provider as soon as possible. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important.  This includes those who are pregnant, have asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders or a compromised immune system.

Tick-Borne Diseases

Prevention of Tick-borne Diseases

Look for ticks in late spring through early fall, when they are most active.

Limit direct contact with ticks by avoiding wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Also, walk in the center of trails.

Wear long pants and long sleeves to help keep ticks off your body.
Tuck shirts into pants, and pants into socks, to keep ticks on the outside of clothing.
​Wear light colored clothing to help spot ticks more easily.

Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)​ registered insect repellents containing:

• DEET​,
• picaridin,
• IR3535,
• Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE),
• Paraomenthane-diol (PMD), or
• 2-undecanone.

Use repellent ​on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours. Always follow product instructions.

Parents should apply repellent to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.
Clothing may be pre-treated by using products that contain permethrin.

Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin, which remains protective through several washings.
Alternatively, clothing pre-treated with permethrin may be purchased.

After You Come Indoors

Check your clothing for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.

Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.

Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard.

Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks:

• Under the arms
• In and around the ears
• Inside belly button
• Back of the knees
• In and around the hair
• Between the legs
• Around the waist

Wash Your Clothes

To ensure elimination of ticks from clothing:

• Wash clothing in hot water.
• Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks effectively.
• If it is not possible to wash clothes in hot water then tumble dry on low heat for 90 minutes or high heat for 60 minutes.
• For dry clothing, tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks.
• If the clothes are damp, additional drying time may be needed. The clothes should be warm and completely dry.

Removing Ticks

• ​Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
• Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flusing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
• If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of remvoing a tick, see your health care provider. 
• Tell the health care provider about your recent tick bite, when the bite occured, and where you most likely acquired the tick.

Symptoms of Tick-Borne Disease

Early symptoms of a tick-borne disease include fever, headache, fatigue and possible rash. See your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms after visiting potentially tick infested areas or getting a tick bite.

Tick-borne Diseases

• Alpha-gal Allergy​ (CDC)
• Babesiosis​ (Maryland Department of Health)
• Ehr​lichiosis and Anaplasmosis​ (Maryland Department of Health)
• Lym​e​​ disease (Maryland Department of Health)
• Powassan Virus​​ (CDC)
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever​ (Maryland Department of Health)
• Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI) ​ (CDC)
• Tularemia (Maryland Department of Health)

For more information, go to:

• CDC tick page
• MDH tick prevention page

Information from CDC and MDH.

Tuberculosis

Testing

Screening for tuberculosis is done with PPD skin testing. Sputum specimens are obtained and chest x-rays are done at the local hospital to R/O active TB disease.

PPD skin testing for employment and school requirements is offered 8am-4pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at a cost of $30. Insurance can not be billed for this.

Treatment

Tuberculosis medications are given under (DOT) Direct Observed Therapy for active TB patients, where TB staff observe each pill being taken by the patient. This ensures compliance with the necessary treatment.

Contact investigation is conducted on every active tuberculosis patient. Each contact is then screened with a PPD skin test, sent for a chest x-ray if they have a positive PPD to rule out active disease, and then they are offered preventative treatment if their chest x-ray is negative for active disease

Preventative treatment is also available for those with latent TB infection (inactive-non contagious) Tuberculosis.

Treatment Eligibility

Treatment for tuberculosis (active disease) is provided by the program and coordinated with the patient’s healthcare provider if they have one.

Treatment for active disease and their contacts is provided free of charge. Patients requesting PPD skin testing with a subsequent positive result will be sent for a follow-up chest x-ray. The cost of this chest x-ray is covered by the TB program for any individual not having health insurance.

For more information, please contact Pamela Quillen, RN, at (410) 228-3223.

Find More Information

• MDH | Prevention and Health Promotion Administration
• CDC
• Vaccine Information
• Immunization Action Coalition

MPOX

mpox

A rare disease caused by infection with the Mpox virus. Mpox is a public health concern because the illness is similar to smallpox and can be spread from infected humans, animals and materials contaminated with the virus. Mpox is less transmissible and usually less severe than smallpox.

Mpox is not a new virus. It was first identified in 1958. Historically, cases typically occur in Western Africa. When cases have been identified outside this region, including in the U.S., they have been related to international travel or the importation of animals. Recently, there has been a significant increase in reported cases worldwide, many of which are due to community transmission.

How does mpox spread?

It spreads through close prolonged contact with an infected person. This may include coming into contact with skin lesions or body fluids, sharing clothes or other materials, such as bed linens or towels that have been used by an infected person, or inhaling respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact.

While Mpox can infect anyone, many of the recent cases in 2022 have occurred among persons self-identifying as men who have sex with men (MSM), individuals who have anonymous sex, and sex workers.

Mpox can be spread through:

• Direct skin-to-skin contact with rash lesions
• Sexual/intimate contact, including kissing
• Living in a house and sharing a bed with someone
• Sharing towels or unwashed clothing
• Respiratory secretions through prolonged face-to-face interactions (mainly happens when living with or caring for someone who has Mpox)

Mpox is NOT spread through:

• Casual conversations
• Walking by someone with Mpox, like in a grocery store
• Touching items like doorknobs

Symptoms

Mpox may start with symptoms like the flu, such as a fever, low energy, swollen lymph nodes and general body aches. Within 5 to 12 days after the appearance of fever, the person can develop a rash or sores. Sores will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing. They can look like pimples or blisters and may be painful and itchy.

Other symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Body aches
• Headaches
• Sores/Rash

Please call your medical provider if you think you may have been exposed to Mpox and are showing signs and symptoms.

Treatment

In most cases, Mpox will resolve on its own. There are no treatments specifically for Mpox virus infections. However, Mpox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, which means antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox may be used to prevent and treat Mpox virus infections.

Antivirals, such as tecovirimat (TPOXX), may be recommended for people who are more likely to get severely ill, like patients with weakened immune systems.

Prevention

There are a number of ways to prevent spreading Mpox:

• Talk to sexual partners about any recent illness and be aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on you or your partner’s body.
• Limit the number of sexual partners.
• Avoid close contact, including sex of any kind (oral, anal, vaginal) and kissing or touching each others bodies, with people with symptoms like sores or rashes.
• Practice safe sex by using condoms or other barrier methods the right way and using a new condom or other barrier method every time you have sex. Order a Safe Sex Kit.
• Practice good hand hygiene.
• Isolate infected persons until symptoms, including rash, have gone away completely
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), like a mask, gown and gloves, when caring for others with symptoms.
• Avoid contact with infected materials, such as towels, clothing, sheets, fetish gear, sex toys and toothbrushes.
• Avoid contact with infected animals.

Vaccines

On Sept. 19, 2022, the Maryland Department of Health Mpox vaccine operational guidance was revised, providing parameters for providing Mpox vaccine among higher-risk individuals as outlined in federal guidance. The CDC recommends the JYNNEOS vaccine for pre-exposure prophylaxis for individuals identified as being high risk.

Mpox Vaccine Administration in Maryland

• Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
  • Individuals requiring vaccination following exposure to Mpox to help prevent illness, including contacts of confirmed or probable Mpox cases.
• Expanded post-exposure prophylaxis (ePEP)
  • Individuals with certain risk factors who are more likely to have been recently exposed to Mpox (does not have to be documented).
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals at high risk for Mpox:
  • Lab workers who handle specimens
  • Individuals with presumed or potential sexually associated exposure
  • Individuals who are immunocompromised or have HIVIndividuals of communities at higher risk, including gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) (GBMSM)
  • Individuals who are not monogamous and who are sexually active with multiple partners.

The Dorchester County Health Department continues to work closely with the Maryland Department of Health to keep updated on eligibility requirements. Vaccination will be done by appointment only after an eligibility screening is completed and the vaccine is deemed appropriate.

Call us at 410-228-3223 and ask to speak with someone about your eligibility for an Mpox vaccination. For those eligible for an Mpox vaccination, appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.