Epidemiology
What is the role of epidemiology in public health?
Epidemiology identifies the distribution of diseases, factors underlying their source and cause, and methods for their control; this requires an understanding of how political, social and scientific factors intersect to exacerbate disease risk, which makes epidemiology a unique science.
Disease Surveillance and Tracking
The Bullitt County Health Department (BCHD) investigates cases of communicable diseases such as respiratory viruses, food-borne illnesses, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), per 902 KAR 2:020. The epidemiologist is in charge of investigating all of these except for tuberculosis and STIs.
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BCHD communicates this information to the Kentucky Department for Public Health who later sends information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We also disseminate information to surveillance sites, and community partners, facilitating collaborative efforts to monitor the health status of Bullitt County. This data also aids public and private health officials in educating patients and clients, planning staff training on timely disease topics, and preparing for and responding to disease outbreaks.
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Health professionals that are reporting diseases to the Bullitt County Health Department as required by state law can find the appropriate and required forms listed in the link below. Upon completion, please fax the forms to (502) 543-2998. If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance in reporting please contact our office at (502) 955-7837.
Reportable Disease Notifications
Physicians, hospitals, and laboratories are required by 902 KAR 2:020 to report communicable diseases to the Epidemiology unit of the health department. Qualified health department staff investigate the cases and report the communicable diseases to the Kentucky Department of Public Health, which reports to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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You may submit the forms below via fax at 502-543-2998 or via phone 24/7 at 502-955-7837.
KY Reportable Disease Form (EPID 200)
State law mandates that healthcare providers report over 85 diseases or conditions to their local health department. Click here to utilize the correct form and submit it via fax or phone. 502-955-7837 or fax 502-543-2998.
For Providers Only
Alpha-Gal Syndrome: “The Red Meat Allergy”
Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), also known as the red meat allergy, is a condition associated with tick bites. When a tick bites a human—specifically the Lonestar tick, a species that is found throughout Kentucky—their saliva can contain a sugar molecule called galactose-α-1,3-galactose, or “alpha-gal”. This sugar molecule is found in most mammal products, such as their meat and milk. This is why, after developing AGS, some people will break out in allergic reactions after eating foods like red meat, pork, and sausage, or drinking milk. However, people who have developed AGS can still eat meats like chicken and turkey, since these products do not come from mammals, and are therefore not red meat products. Fish are another great option for those with AGS.
After eating a product that causes a reaction, about 2-10 hours later, one might break out in hives (seen in the image on the right) and experience extreme itchiness; swollen lips, eyelids, or tongue; wheezing, shortness of breath; and drops in blood pressure. Additionally, there can be extreme stomach discomfort and diarrhea. Not everyone will experience every symptom. Some may experience symptoms so severe that they must be rushed to the hospital.
If you suspect you may have AGS, your doctor can test you in a couple of ways. The main way they can test you is by drawing your blood and examining it for the presence of the alpha-gal antibody. Remember, simply eating mammal or red meat does not introduce alpha-gal sugars into the body even though they are present in the meat.
However, the body does become exposed to the alpha-gal sugar from some tick bites, since it wasn’t eaten, but instead sent into the body’s tissues from the tick’s saliva, where it avoids your body’s digestion in the stomach. This leads to your body creating antibodies, known as IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies, against alpha-gal sugars.
After the development of these IgE antibodies, once you eat red meats, these IgE antibodies recognize the alpha-gal sugar, triggering an immune response against the alpha-gal. This immune response is what leads to the symptoms that you may experience, like stomach pains, diarrhea, and hives. If your doctor finds these alpha-gal IgE antibodies in your blood, then you may have AGS.
The current guidance to reduce your risk is to protect yourself against tick bites. If you think you may have alpha-gal, speak to your physician to discuss getting tested. AGS is not always permanent, and some cases resolve over time, especially when future tick bites are avoided.
Reference: Yale Medicine. (2023, October 5). Alpha-GAL syndrome (AGS). Yale Medicine. https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/alpha-gal-syndrome-ags