Health Promotion & Preparedness

Infectious Disease

What is an infectious disease?
An infectious or communicable disease is an illness spread by coming in contact with someone or something that is infected. Bacteria, viruses and parasites cause infectious diseases. These illnesses can be passed from person or animal to person through direct contact with body fluids, ingesting contaminated food or water, breathing contaminated air or through the bite of an infected animal.

Disease monitoring and investigation and the prevention of outbreaks are among the highest priorities of Wood County Health Department as an important part of protecting the public’s health. Our goal is to prevent and reduce transmission of infectious diseases through a system of surveillance, control and education.

Healthcare providers (physicians, hospitals, infection control professionals) and laboratories are required by law to report the occurrence of certain communicable diseases to the local health department. In these circumstances, our epidemiologists contact the healthcare provider and patient to determine how the disease was contracted, answer questions and provide guidance to help prevent further spread of the disease.

COVID-19 and Flu Shot

Respiratory Illness


COVID-19
Check out our COVID-19 page for information on vaccines, testing and treatment for COVID-19 and the latest information on cases and hospitalizations in Wood County.

Influenza (Flu)

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness and at times, can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.

Wood County Health Department monitors influenza cases locally and will report local information during flu season, typically during the fall and winter, ending by April or May each year.

Additional information on influenza is available here:

Foodborne illness

Foodborne and Enteric Illnesses

There are more than 250 different foodborne  and enteric diseases caused by numerous different bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins and chemicals. Each of these diseases can have many different symptoms. However, the most common first symptoms are:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Diarrhea

If you think you or someone you know may have a foodborne illness, report it to the Wood County Health Department using the survey below. You may also reach our infectious disease team at 419-354-4306.

To learn more about Foodborne and Enteric Diseases, review the Wood County Enteric Disease Health Profile.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is a virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite people can get through sexual contact. The primary goal of public health and healthcare is to prevent and treat infections before they develop into disease.

There are dozens of STIs. Some STIs are spread mainly by sexual contact, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, human papillomavirus (HPV), and syphilis.

Testing

Many STIs have no symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms, so people can have an infection but not know it. That is why getting an STI test is important if you are having sex. If you receive a positive STI diagnosis, know that all are treatable with medicine and some are curable entirely.

A new free STI home testing service is available for people in Ohio. Click the button below to get started.

Wood County STI Data

For more information, visit the Ohio Department of Health.