How is King County doing?
Current and emerging threats to the public’s health include global spread of emerging infections such as West Nile virus and pandemic influenza and ongoing infections such as HIV and tuberculosis; food-borne infections acquired in restaurants; bioterrorism; vaccine-preventable disease; and natural disasters. • In 2008, 5,028 communicable disease reports among King County residents were received (not including HIV, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases, which are counted separately). Vaccine-preventable diseases accounted for 20 percent of cases, while enteric infections accounted for 16 percent. Of the remainder, more than one-third were reports of chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and approximately one-fifth were animal bites and potential rabies exposures. Reports of animal bites and possible rabies exposures have increased steadily since they became notifiable conditions in 2003. • Public Health also responds to outbreaks and potential spread of emerging infections. For
