​According to hiv.org, there are approximately 1.1 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States.

In 2017, West Virginia had one of the lowest rates of HIV diagnosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, largely attributed to the current opioid crisis, we are seeing an increase of cases in our state.

This includes Cabell County, which has experienced an HIV cluster this year. The cluster is now up to 49 known cases. This is large compared to its baseline of five new HIV cases per year. The cause: shared needles because of the opioid epidemic.

Preventing HIV is a lot easier today than it ever has been.

HIV is spread through certain body fluids—blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids and breast milk. Only people with HIV can transmit it. 

The contaminated fluids must come into contact with a mucous membrane/damaged tissue or be directly injected into the blood stream.

Where you live can be related to HIV. If you live somewhere where HIV is prevalent, there is a higher chance of having sex or sharing needles with someone who has HIV. 

There are a few groups of people who also have an increased risk for HIV. Gay and bisexual men have the largest number of new diagnoses in the United States. Transgender women who have sex with men are at a higher risk for HIV, along with injection drug users. 

Ways to reduce the risk of getting or transmitting HIV:
• Choose less risky behaviors
• Take medication to prevent and treat HIV
• Use condoms with lubricant 

Treatment as prevention (TasP) is an HIV medication to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.  This treatment helps people who are living with HIV stay healthy, but it also helps prevent transmission of the virus to others. 

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that is taken if you are at a very high risk for HIV. It is highly effective, but only if used as prescribed. So, if you are taking a PrEP, make sure you are taking it consistently. 

The third type of medication you can take is for post-exposure (PEP). This is the medication you would take after a recent possible exposure to HIV. PEP is only used in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours after the exposure. 

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. If you could be at risk for HIV, it is important to get tested because you cannot rely on symptoms alone. 

​Every sexually active person should be tested at least once for HIV. Other people should be tested more frequently. It’s not a bad idea, however, for all sexually active people to be tested between partners.

At MCHD Clinical Services, HIV testing is free and is done by a nurse on a staff that prides itself on being non-judgmental and friendly. 

So, what can you expect if you get HIV? According to hiv.gov, during the early stages of HIV, about 40-90 percent of people have symptoms within two to four weeks after they are infected. 

If these symptoms are present, then they will mimic flu-like symptoms such as; fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and mouth ulcers.

HIV is a virus that attacks and reduces the body’s T cells, which are a part of the body’s immune system. This damage to the immune system makes it harder and harder for the body to fight off infections and other diseases. 

This virus is unlike many others, because once you acquire it, you will have it for life. Even if you receive treatment, you will never completely get rid of it. 

Fortunately, you can control HIV with treatment. However, if not controlled, HIV can turn into an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is the most severe phase of HIV. 

If HIV progresses to AIDS, then the immune system is damaged further and you then become vulnerable to opportunistic infections that can lead to death.

HIV is also linked with viral hepatitis. According to the CDC, 25 percent of people who are living with HIV are also co-infected with hepatitis C and 10 percent are coinfected with hepatitis B.

Concerned? Call MCHD Clinical Services at 304-598-5119 to set up an appointment for testing.

You may not think that work safety applies to you, but it actually applies to every job. Even as a retail worker, I am affected every time I go to work. That can include driving, fatigue, ladders or even trips and falls.
 
June is National Safety Month and a perfect time to learn about how you could be affected at work.
 
Since 2009 work-related deaths have increased by 17.5 percent, according to The National Safety Council.
 
There are many topics that fall under the workplace safety, but some are not as obvious as others. Driving is considered one of those safety topics. This topic can apply to many employees across different careers because most of us drive to our workplace.
 
Driving is a safety concern for many reasons. There can be many distractions while driving, like cell phones. Fatigue and driving is another big safety concern. You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are fatigued.
 
Drowsy driving is impaired driving. Losing just two hours of sleep is similar to the effect of having three beers and being awake for more than 20 hours is equivalent of being legally drunk, according to The National Safety Council.
 
Fatigue is a safety concern outside of driving too. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep for peak performance, but one third of adults are averaging less than six hours a day of sleep. According to The National Safety Council, safety performance decreases when employees are tired.
 
Lastly, fatigue can cause other negative impacts on your body. If you have chronic sleep-deprivation, you are at a higher risk for depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses.
 
For this year’s national safety month, one of the topics is trips and falls. I was surprised when I found out that the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death is falls.
 
It is not so surprising to hear that construction workers are the most at risk for falls. But, did you know that they are actually seven times more likely to experience a fall? Even if you are not a construction worker, falls can happen at your work place—even an “office job,” according to The National Safety Council.
 
Falls are 100 percent preventable.
 
When it comes to workplace safety and falls, it is important to take action. While at work it is important to plan ahead, assess the risk/scan the area for hazards, use the correct equipment and determine if it is necessary to be working from a height.
 
It is also important to have the proper training that relates to your job. If you are not trained to do something, then someone that has that skill set needs to be performing the task.
 
Ladder safety is also important when preventing falls at the workplace and at home. As a retail worker, I use ladders frequently. I mostly use a stepladder, which can be hazardous, but I also use a large ladder from time to time. I learned a few things about ladder safety that I will now use during my job.
 
When using a ladder there are several things to consider: Keep the ladder on a flat surface, use the locking device on the ladder and use proper technique when climbing the ladder. Proper technique includes having two hands and one foot on the ladder or having two feet and one hand on the ladder while climbing.
 
It is easy to disregard safety when you are at work, but everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings. Always check for hazards, so you do not become a part of the workplace injury safety statistics. 

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.