Category: Health Alert Network

Idaho Bureau of Laboratories (IBL) provides testing for emerging diseases when diagnostic testing is limited or nonexistent in the commercial sector. Zika virus testing was a recent example of this. Since commercial testing for Zika is now widely available in clinical reference laboratories, IBL is no longer accepting specimens for routine Zika testing. Specimens should be sent to the health care facility’s commercial laboratory.

In 2014, the United States saw an unexpected increase in the number of reports of children experiencing neurologic illness with presentations similar to acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). The syndrome was named acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) to better distinguish it from other forms of AFP.

Please consider Zika virus infection when evaluating symptomatic patients or pregnant women with recent travel to affected areas.

Gonorrhea and syphilis rates remain high across the Treasure Valley. CDH urges providers to continue to assess risk, discuss risk reduction strategies, and test patients for STDs including gonorrhea and syphilis.

Plague (Yersinia pestis) Likely to Confirm in Ground Squirrels Outside of Boise; Central District Health Asks Providers to be Alert for Cases through June.

Syphilis continues to be a concern in our communities. In 2015 and 2016, 70 primary and secondary cases related to this latest outbreak were reported to CDH and Southwest District Health.

Please consider Zika virus infection when evaluating patients presenting with clinically compatible symptoms after travel to affected areas, including Puerto Rico and multiple countries in the Americas south of the United States.