Communicable Disease
SJBPH’s Communicable Disease team investigates infectious diseases that can be spread in a variety of ways: from one person to another, from an animal to a person, or through eating contaminated food and water. Bacteria and viruses most often cause communicable diseases, and this may happen through:
- direct contact with a person who is contagious
- contact with blood and other body fluids
- inhaling contaminated droplets from another person’s cough or sneeze
- receiving a bite from an animal or insect carrying the bacteria or viruses
- consuming contaminated water or foods
By law, certain diseases must be reported to public health agencies from health care providers and laboratories to keep the illness from spreading. These diseases are referred to as Reportable Diseases. When these diseases are reported to the health department, we work to determine where a person got sick and to prevent further spread of illness. We also work to prevent the occurrence of diseases in our communities through education.
The Regional Epidemiologist collects and reports disease information according to the Colorado Board of Health Rules and Regulations.
We provide recommendations and best practices to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. This may include recommendations for:
- Isolation, quarantine or avoiding exposure to others
- Treatment
- Contact tracing or notifications of exposures
- Cleaning and disinfecting
- Vaccines or prophylaxis treatment
The Communicable Disease team works with our Environmental Health staff for water (e.g. swimming pool), food (e.g. point sources such as restaurants), and vector-borne (e.g. insects, rodents carrying plague, rabies, or typhoid) communicable disease responses.
Reporting Diseases
By law, certain diseases that have public health consequences must be reported to public health agencies from health care providers and laboratories to keep the illness from spreading.
Reporting Outbreaks
San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) investigates disease outbreaks in long-term care facilities, childcare facilities, businesses, restaurants and other group settings. We attempt to identify the cause of the outbreak and provide recommendations for disease control measures. To report an outbreak or suspect outbreak call our Communicable Disease Program at 970-335-2004 or emailing cd@sjbpublichealth.org.
Food Borne Illnesses
If you feel you have acquired a food borne illness, contact our EH Team: eh@sjbpublichealth.org.
The Communicable Disease team investigates cases of reportable diseases and suspected outbreaks according to standard protocols and guidance provided by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The Communicable Disease Response Team provides 24/7 on-call disease reporting. Call 970-335-2004 during office hours, or, for after-hours response, call SJBPH's main number at 970-247-5702 and select option 1.