1. EPIDEMIOLOGY SUMMARY 2005 COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE DANA BECKHAM, DVM Chief Epidemiologist Galveston County Health District

2. MISSION Our mission is to collect, analyze and distribute health related information in efforts to control and prevent health problems in Galveston County.

3. HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE Texas laws (Health & Safety Code, Chapters 81, 84, and 87) require specific information regarding notifiable conditions be provided to Public Health Authorities. Health care providers, hospitals, laboratories, schools, and others are required to report individuals (cases) who are suspected of having a notifiable condition (Chapter 97, Title 25, Texas Administrative Code).

4. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN GALVESTON COUNTY This report tabulates notifiable diseases/conditions reported to DSHS by GCHD from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005. GCHD received 28 of the 70 notifiable diseases/conditions that are reportable in the state of Texas. The Health District reported 2,124 cases to DSHS.

5. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN GALVESTON COUNTY Galveston County has approximately 273,582 people. Racially and ethnically distributed as follows: – 61% white; 20% Hispanic; 14% black; 2% Asian; 3% Other The data presented in this report will display the condition/disease, sex, race/ethnicity, age, and geographical location of cases reported to the State.

6. DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASE/CONDITION BY SEX

7. DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASE/CONDITION BY RACE/ETHNICITY 61% 14% 20%

8. DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASE/CONDITION BY AGE

9. DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASE/CONDITION BY CITY 15 12 11

10. MORBIDITY OF GALVESTON COUNTY - STD SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDs) – 1,345 Galveston County STDs were reported to Health District – Females more often reported than males as having STDs (73% female and 27% male) – 54% black, 27% white, 18% Hispanic – Most STD cases were Chlamydia (60%) and gonorrhea (33%) – Incidence rates for these infections are higher in Galveston County than in Texas and the U.S.

11. MORBIDITY OF GALVESTON COUNTY - HEPATITIS 441 new records entered in GCHD hepatitis registry; 435 were hepatitis C cases Males more often diagnosed with hepatitis C than females (60% males and 40 % females) Racial/Ethnic breakdown: 49% white, 6% Hispanic, 15% black, 1% Asian, 29% unknown

12. MORBIDITY OF GALVESTON COUNTY – VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES No confirmed cases of measles, mumps, rubella, or Haemophilus influenzae type B 6 acute hepatitis B cases 11 pertussis cases – 55% males and white – 45% females and Hispanic

13. 2005 SUMMARY 2,181 cases to investigate 2,124 were reported to DSHS Communicable disease cases occurred in all parts of Galveston County. Top 3 notifiable diseases/conditions in Galveston County were Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Hepatitis C.