Chagas Added to County’s List of Reportable Diseases
Chagas Added to County’s List of Reportable Diseases countynewscenter.com
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County Public Health Adds Chagas Disease to Reportable Diseases List
County Public Health officials have added Chagas disease to the local reportable diseases list ahead of World Chagas Disease Day.
Conditions on the reportable disease list are either contagious, severe or are seen more frequently and require health providers to alert local or state public health officials when they come up.
The County joined other public health agencies in California in making Chagas disease reportable.
Chagas disease is caused by an insect called a triatomine or kissing bug that is carrying a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi. When these bugs bite and release feces into the wound, the parasite in the feces can cause Chagas disease.
The disease can lead to long-term heart and intestinal health damage and even death.
Chagas disease is more commonly found in rural areas of Latin America affecting people who live in homes made of mud, adobe or straw where the insects tend to hide.
In the United States, it is estimated that more than 300,000 people are living with Chagas disease, with California having the most cases.
“San Diego is a binational community and while we do see some cases of Chagas disease in San Diego in travelers, the current methods of gathering information are not providing the full picture,” said County Public Health Officer Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H. “By making Chagas reportable, we will get a better count of the number of cases in San Diego through screening. Finding out how people got infected in the first place will help us more quickly treat patients before their condition gets worse.”
Chagas disease usually starts with either no symptoms or mild symptoms like a fever, headache, cough, abdominal pain or localized swelling near the insect bite. If left untreated, it can cause heart failure or gastrointestinal complications.
April 14 is World Chagas Disease Day
World Chagas Day is observed on April 14 to raise awareness about the disease and spread the word on how to prevent it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends travelers to areas where Chagas is found wear protective clothing and insect repellant, use insecticide-treated bed nets, sleeping indoors, and not eat unpeeled or uncooked fruits and vegetables.
Chagas disease can also be passed from mother to baby, through blood transfusions, organ transplantations and by eating food contaminated with the T. cruzi parasite.
County Public Health officials are working closely with local healthcare providers to provide resources, investigate infections and monitor transmission patterns.
Reach out to a healthcare provider if you or someone you know has symptoms that could be related to Chagas disease.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases.
- SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of reported cases of Chagas disease in San Diego (indicator for SDG 3.3)
- Collaboration between County Public Health officials and local healthcare providers (indicator for SDG 17.17)
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases. | Number of reported cases of Chagas disease in San Diego |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. | Collaboration between County Public Health officials and local healthcare providers |
Based on the article, the issues highlighted are connected to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Specifically, the article addresses the need to combat Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, which aligns with SDG 3.3. The article also mentions the collaboration between County Public Health officials and local healthcare providers, which relates to SDG 17.17.
The specific targets identified based on the article’s content are SDG 3.3 and SDG 17.17. SDG 3.3 aims to end the epidemics of neglected tropical diseases, including Chagas disease. SDG 17.17 focuses on promoting effective partnerships to address public health issues.
The article mentions the need to report cases of Chagas disease in San Diego, which can serve as an indicator for measuring progress towards SDG 3.3. Additionally, the collaboration between County Public Health officials and local healthcare providers can be used as an indicator for progress towards SDG 17.17.
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Source: countynewscenter.com
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