As a Morgantown resident who lives close to Sabraton, like many of us, I’m not super thrilled with the idea of a 15-foot long python living among us.

But considering the timing of this news—coinciding with a report of a fifth rabid raccoon in Monongalia County that has gotten into a tussle with a family dog—maybe there’s an upside.
As a reptile, a python cannot get rabies, which is a disease that only affects and kills mammals.

So maybe when if the python continues to remain on loose, he could help us out with our raccoon population.

And maybe he could add in some mosquitoes as appetizers.

All joking—or wishful thinking—aside, the fact is that when you go into the world you should take precautions, something we at Monongalia County Health Department preach even during non-python visitor summers.

That includes as we head into summer, not only with the rabid raccoons that we know have been in the area but also mosquitoes that are pesky and can carry diseases.

That’s true even if the snake that escaped from its owner’s car late last month and now has its own Twitter account is found (fingers crossed!) anytime soon.

But even if there weren’t a python roaming Morgantown that, if it lives long enough, could grow to the diameter of a dinner plate, raccoons should be enough of a deterrent to keep your pets within sight.

Since early February, 11 raccoons found in Monongalia County and tested for rabies have turned up positive. Five of those got into scuffles with family dogs. In those instances, the dogs had to be re-vaccinated for rabies and either observed or quarantined.

In some of those situations, owners also interacted with their dogs soon after the raccoons did. This could include getting blood on their hands or allowing the pooches to lick them. Rabies is primarily transmitted via a bite or saliva getting into a cut, but it’s difficult to tell if saliva is mixed in with blood.

And that contact could be enough for a physician to recommend that a dog owner receive the four-shot rabies prophylaxis series to make sure the human also stays rabies-free.

After all, once any mammal begins to show signs of rabies, it’s pretty much too late to be saved from this preventable but ultimately fatal disease.

To avoid this scenario from happening once again, cats and dogs should be kept up to date on their rabies vaccines. And it’s best to keep cats indoors and only take dogs out on leashes, or at least to stay with them while they run around the yard.

While in your yard, you also might want to consider how to keep mosquitoes away. Mosquitoes in our area have been found to carry diseases, including West Nile Virus, so avoiding them is key.

The first thing is to eliminate standing water, which attracts mosquitoes and provides a place for them to lay eggs. Any buckets or troughs that collect water should be removed or turned over.

Do you have pools or birdbaths that naturally hold water? MCHD Environmental Health has a product available to the public for free called Mosquito Dunks. The doughnut-shaped item is placed in standing water and slowly releases mosquito larvicide into the water for up to 30 days.

The Environmental Protection Agency-approved dunks are not toxic to people and are harmless to beneficial insects, pets, birds, fish and wildlife. Dunks can be used in birdbaths, flowerpots, rain barrels, roof gutters, unused swimming pools, water gardens, tree holes and other places where standing water might attract mosquitoes.

For more advice on avoiding mosquitoes this summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posts this information on its website. And if you want a free package of Mosquito Dunks, call MCHD Environmental Health at 304-598-5131

We all probably have at least one man in our lives that we hold close to our hearts, whether it be a father, brother, grandfather, significant other or just a friend.

Are they aware of their heath? If not, you may need to point them in the right direction. June 10 – June 16 is Men’s Health Week, conveniently ending on Father's Day.

There are many different concerns when it comes to health. It is important to be aware and active in making yourself as healthy as you can.

So, for our first topic, let’s talk about prostate cancer. Prostate cancer only affects men—they are the only ones with a prostate gland—and is the second leading cancer killer of men.

If prostate cancer is detected early, it can be treated.

Men who are 40 should start to talk with their health care provider about prostate screening.
If you have a family history of prostate cancer, then you should start annual screening at age 45. If you do not have a family history, then annual screening can start at age 50.

There is not a straightforward answer on how to prevent prostate cancer, but there are ways to reduce your risk:

•    Eat a healthy, low-fat diet
•    Eat plenty of fruits/vegetables/whole grains
•    Maintain a healthy weight
•    Stay physically active
•    Don’t use tobacco
•    Get regular checkups

Heart disease is another major health concern for men, although it also affects women. It is the most common cause of death for men in the United states. To have good cardiovascular health, a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle are key.

As you age you are not only at risk for heart disease, but diabetes and high blood pressure. The diet changes in the list above are small steps that can reduce your risk for all of these conditions.

Sexual and reproductive health is also a topic that men need to be aware of and take action with. There can be many issues in regard to this topic, such as, sexually transmitted diseases and testicular cancer.

Testicular cancer mainly affects young men who are between the ages 20 and 39. It is important to perform monthly self-exams to feel for a lump and to report any abnormal changes to your physician.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are spread by sexual contact and the more partners you have, the greater risk you have of contracting them. STDs are on the rise—Morgantown currently is experiencing a syphilis outbreak, mostly among men who have sex with other men—and it is important to stay protected. Wearing a condom is a way to prevent STDs, as is limiting your partners.  

If you are having sex, it is important to talk to your doctor to set up an appointment to get screened. There is free and confidential STD testing and treatment at MCHD Clinical Services.  To set up an appointment, call 304-598-5119.

This link provides a checklist for checkups and screenings. It serves as a reminder for when, how often, and at what age to start getting these things done.

We all need a little help sometimes when it comes to doctor’s appointments, screenings/exams and even just general health. Remind the men in your life during this week for Men’s Health Week.

West Virginia was among the top 10 states that had the highest birth rates of women ages 15-19 in 2017.  

Teen pregnancy rates have continued to decline through the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the birth rate of mothers ages 15-19 was 18.8 per 1,000 women. This was a record low and a drop of 7 percent from 2016. Birth rates also fell among ages 15-17 as well as 18-19.

However, although the rates have been on a decline, they are still higher in the United States than in other industrialized nations. And they are higher in West Virginia than the national average.

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is important because these teens and their children can suffer financially and educationally. According to the CDC, only around 50 percent of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by the age of 22. Teen mothers also tend to have more health problems, face being incarcerated and can face unemployment as an adult.

Not only does pregnancy prevention help keep teens from becoming pregnant, it can also prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). STD rates continue to increase every year. In 2017, chlamydia increased by 22 percent, gonorrhea rose 67 percent, and syphilis increased by 76 percent. Using condoms and being abstinent are the only ways to prevent an STD.

Abstinence is the choice not to have sex. This is the only way to completely prevent pregnancy and STDs. A condom is another way to prevent STDs and pregnancy, although they are not always completely effective. If you choose to have sex, using a condom and a form of hormonal birth control or IUD is the best way to stay protected.  

As a parent or guardian of a teenager, it is important for you to help your teens learn about their sexual health. According to the CDC, research shows that teens who talk with their parents about sexual health topics have more positive outcomes. They have sex at a later age, use condoms and birth control more often if they do have sex, have better communication with their romantic partners and have sex less often.

If you visit the CDC’s website, there are even links that provide you with tips to help you talk with your teen about sex, birth control, relationships, pregnancy and other related topics.

If you are a teen who is having sex or thinking about having sex, make sure you are informed. Remember, knowledge equals power and you can increase your knowledge with different resources. You can talk with your parents and health care providers. These people are there to help you figure all of this out.

When it comes to your sexual health, you are not alone. According to the CDC, many clinics provide free or low-cost counseling and other reproductive health services. By law, Title X family planning clinics, such as MCHD Clinical Services at Monongalia County Health Department, must offer private and confidential services for teens.

Also, if you turn to the internet with your questions, make sure you are using reliable websites like the CDC. This site has several links that provide great information and tips on different sexual health topics.

For free and low-cost birth control or pregnancy testing, call MCHD Clinical Services at (304) 598-5119.

Bonfires, fireworks, barbecues, pool and beach days are all what make summer fun. However, if we don’t watch out for our health when going swimming, we can end up spending up to three weeks of the summer sick with diarrhea.

You might think the chlorine in the water is working its magic when it smells strongly of it inside the facility. Yet, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reports that the pungent smell of the “chlorine” is actually chemicals that form when chlorine mixes with broken down body particles such as pee, poop, sweat and dirt.

If you find that gross, wait till you hear about the microbes and body particles the average swimmer can bring into the pool.

•    Hair: 10 million microbes
•    Spit: 8 million microbes in a single drop
•    Hands: 5 million microbes
•    Poop: 140 billion microbes
•    Nose, mouth, skin: Billions of microbes
•    Skin products: Lotions, cosmetics, soaps
•    Sweat: 1 or 2 soda cans of sweat
•    Pee: 1 cup

The average amount of water swallowed in 45 minutes of swimming:

•    Adults: 1 tablespoon
•    Kids: 2 ½ tablespoons

This amount is enough to give someone diarrhea, skin, ear respiratory, eye and neurological infections. Children are the most vulnerable for getting sick.
 
Is the only option to avoid the pool? No. Monongalia County Health Department advises that you can avoid spending your summer indoors and still be safe if you take these steps to achieve healthy and safe swimming.

•    Don’t swim or let your kids swim when sick with diarrhea.    
•    Don’t swallow water.
•    Check out the pool’s latest inspection score. You can do that online.
•    Take kids out of the pool and on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes.  
•    Check diapers every 30–60 minutes and change them in a bathroom or diaper-changing area—not waterside—to keep germs away from the water.
•    Shower before you get in the water. Rinsing off in the shower for just one minute helps get rid of most stuff that might be on swimmer’s body.
•    Do your own mini-pool inspection. Here’s how:

Buy strips to test pH and free chlorine or bromine in the pool. These can be purchased at most superstores, hardware stores and pool supply stores.

CDC recommends pH 7.2–7.8. The free chlorine concentration should be at least 1 ppm in pools and at least 3 ppm in hot tubs/spas. The free bromine concentration should be at least 3 ppm in pools and at least 4 ppm in hot tubs/spas.

Other segments of the mini-inspection including making sure the drain at the bottom of the deep end of the pool is visible; the drain covers at the bottom appear to be secured and in good repair; and that a lifeguard is on duty at the pool, or it at least has safety equipment such as a rescue ring or pole. If a pool does not pass, don’t get in the pool. Let management or the owner of the pool know about the problem so they can fix it.

Pool inspections are conducted by MCHD Environmental Health twice a year. Chlorine and pH checks are also done bi-weekly by sanitarians. You can also call and make a complaint to Environmental Health at 304-598-5131 or online if a pool does not pass your personal inspection.

As an adult, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to vaccines until I started working at Monongalia County Health Department.

Of course, I got yearly flu vaccines, which became especially important to me when my father’s emphysema meant that a contagious illness would keep me from visiting him.

Every 10 years, I also get a tetanus shot, which comes in the form of the Tdap vaccine. That entered my radar after I stepped on a tack right before I embarked on a trip abroad. Getting lockjaw on an airplane or in the Czech Republic didn’t seem like it would be fun.

Because I got the Tdap so close to a big vacation, it’s easy for me to remember when I need a new one. With my belief in Murphy’s Law, I would worry that if I let it lapse, there would be a rusty nail in my near future. Plus, I sleep easier knowing I’m also protected from diphtheria and whooping cough, which especially comes in handy when I’m around my baby niece or other infants.

But when it came to once-common childhood diseases such as chickenpox and measles, I figured I was fine.

Turns out, I might not have been. Needing proof of my measles vaccine, I questioned my mother. She told me I had gotten all my childhood vaccines. That wasn’t enough. I called the school nurse in my home county. Those records were long gone. As were my pediatricians.

Our director of nursing at MCHD Clinical Services said she could titer me, testing my blood to see if I had antibodies to fight the measles. But she was pretty sure it would be low—if it was present at all—and I would need the vaccine anyway. So, I went ahead and got the two-shot measles vaccine series.

As the number of measles outbreaks rise in the United States to numbers that have been unprecedented recently, I’m feeling good about that decision.

Although measles was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000, as of May 10, 839 cases of the illness had been reported, the most since 1994. Many of these outbreaks are occurring in pockets where people remain unvaccinated, often either because of religious reasons or personal objections to the measles vaccine.

West Virginia—which has among the toughest vaccination laws in the country, not allowing for any exemptions other than medical ones—has not had a reported case of measles since 2009.

But that’s no reason to be complacent. Also, if you plan to travel at all, you definitely want to verify your measles vaccination status. Consider the cruise ship that was quarantined in early May after a crew member came down with measles. But you don’t have to go very far to find measles. As of May 3, Pittsburgh had an outbreak of five reported cases.

For many adults who did get a vaccination, there is a strong chance a booster could be required. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) says anyone born after 1957 needs at least one dose of measles vaccine unless a test confirms that you either had measles or are immune to it.

I know my story is not unique. I recently saw a Pittsburgh man on the TV news who said his mother had always told him he had gotten the measles vaccine. Then he got the measles. The illness, which starts as a fever, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat, is followed by a painful rash that spreads over the body. The man said the rash even got into his mouth and throat, making it impossible for him to eat.

At the very least, measles is a miserable illness. At its worst, it can lead to death. According to the CDC, measles complications can range from ear infections that can lead to permanent hearing loss, encephalitis that can lead to intellectual disabilities and/or deafness, and pneumonia that can lead to death. For every 1,000 children who gets measles, one or two will die from it.

So, take some time to figure out if you might need a measles vaccination, or a second dose. Talk to your parents. Ask your pediatrician. Consult your physician. And feel free to make an appointment at MCHD Clinical Services by calling 304-598-5119.

Contact Mary Wade Triplett at 304-598-5152 or at MaryWade.Triplett@wv.gov. Contact MCHD at 304-598-5100 and find out more about MCHD at monchd.org, on Facebook and Twitter @wvmchd and on Instagram at wvmchd.