Epi Strife

Rantings of a local health district epidemiologist

[epistrife]

What do you mean you don't "believe" in vaccinations? We're not talking about the Tooth Fairy here.

[epistrife]

Dear Parents: I don’t want to call you...you’re baby’s on a ventilator.

Being a local field epidemiologist can be fun and exciting. At times it’s like the E.R. of public health - each day brings new challenges, new mysteries to solve and putting practices in place to ensure others safety. But at the end of the day, the hard fact that we try not to dwell on - because it would drive you to clinical depression - is that you or someone you love is ill, and we have to call you.

Sometimes the illness isn’t as bad. By the time we chat, you’re feeling better and we even get in a few laughs about the fact that we’re having a deep conversation about your diarrhea. But other times, the tough times, your baby is admitted to the hospital, is on a ventilator, and I have to call you...because it’s due to Pertussis.

“Pertussis (whooping cough) still exists?” “Measles still exist?” “Mumps still exists?” Yes, they still exist. We don’t see it in droves like we used to because we have a strong vaccination program in the United States.

I could show you the numbers. Give you the example of Japan and their epidemic when they stopped vaccinating against Pertussis. But I don’t need that. Every time I receive a Pertussis case, and it’s your baby just weeks old, and they’re on a ventilator struggling to breathe, and I have to call you to figure out what happened and ensure that the household gets antibiotics...I remember that it still exists. When I go home praying that your baby survives another day...I remember that it still exists.

I’m not here to blame. I’m here saying we owe it to them to do everything we can to give them their best chance. The Pertussis vaccination lasts 5-10 years; your protection will be low when you reach adulthood. If you’re a pregnant female, a parent of young children, or a caregiver of young children - please make sure you get the Tdap to boost your immunity against Pertussis. When you protect yourself, you ensure that you don’t spread Pertussis to your baby or babies that your are looking after. Please...I don’t want to have to call you.

[epistrife]

Did you really just ask what our Chlamydia mortality rate was?

[epistrife]

I want to be an epidemiologist but you make it sound like hell. Is it really that bad and if so what do you recommend instead?

OMG so sorry I'm just seeing this. I don't check this account's email often. Anyway, this tumblr is really just to let off steam from work. Folks blow off steam with any job, mine just happens to be related to being a local health department epidemiologist. That said, I absolutely LOVE my job. It's like the ED of public health - you come in with some things you want to do that day, but your day can change instantly just depending on what's going on. It's both interesting and important work. If you're interested, reach out to your local health department, talk with the epi there. They might even have some volunteer work for you. Good luck!

[publichealthmemes]

When public health folks catch you eating a snack

[publichealthrn]

Nurse #RealTalk! #STIs #CheckYoSelf

[teesadutta]

8.5.14

[generalistherbalist]

Of the trillion dollars that’s spent on the largely preventable disease, 88% is spent on treating the symptoms. We’re spending 4% on prevention. Doesn’t that ruffle your feathers a bit?

-Seth Braun on the economic state of medicine.  (via descantforhope)

[epistrife]

When my friends now ask me about the Ebola outbreak

Ugh hey Johnny Come Lately, it's been a problem.

[epistrife]

Stop keeping case files in your office. Just STOP IT! Take them out of your abyss of an office and put them in the bin. Pick it back up the next day if you're working on it. And when you're done with it? For God's sake turn it in! Why am I closing out cases from 5 months ago? Why? WHY? You're supposed to stockpile water and canned food, not case files!

[epistrife]

When you ask me to do an in-service for your staff...

And I ask if you have powerpoint capabilities...

And you say you do...

And I get there, and the laptop does not have a compatible outlet for the projector cable...

[pick-things-up-put-things-d-blog]

The real john snow knows a lot (most people wont get this)

[mypreciousella-blog]

The body’s defense system.

[epistrife]

When I submit my travel reimbursement forms

Please dear God let there be no mistakes. I need this money to live!

[carlzimmer]

[epistrife]

carlzimmer:

Sexy flagella in 10 days! A magazine for model organisms, from Velica. 

[publichealthmemes]

When the intern presents her findings and I ask how she got to her conclusion

[epistrife]

When the state health department calls to tell you about a report received after hours

and it's a smallpox vaccine adverse event in a soldier

(I mean, they do get vaccinated for it before deployment, so an adverse event in military personnel is not unheard of. Serious, but not unheard of.)

and they are going to have a pow-wow about it

and not include you on it, but tell you their recommendations afterwards

Seriously? Because it's been so long since they've had to deal with a vaccinia adverse event? You know that local epi? The one who has the military base in their district? Yeah, pretty sure that local epi remembers how to respond since it's usually them that receives this call first.