Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of the causes and occurrences of disease and disability in the community and the application of this study to the control of health problems. This includes the investigation of outbreaks of communicable diseases, as well as the study of chronic illnesses. Information gathered through epidemiological studies and surveillance, along with district, state, and national data is collected, analyzed, and disseminated through reports and newsletters.
The Greenup County Health Department has been tasked with monitoring and investigating diseases that are communicable and/or dangerous to the public. When the health department receives word of a reportable disease, they will work to find the source of the illness, such as food poisoning or exposure to someone else with the disease. In the case of sexually-transmitted disease the Greenup County Health Department will try to locate sexual contacts of infected people to make sure they are disease-free or are treated if they are already infected.

Reportable diseases in the Kentucky are: Report Within 24 Hours
Anthrax Botulism Brucellosis Campylobacteriosis Cholera Cryptosporidiosis Diphtheria E. coli O157:H7 Encephalitis Haemophilus influenzae Hansen’s disease Hantavirus infection Hepatitis A Listeriosis Measles Meningococcal infections Pertussis Plague	Poliomyelitis Psittacosis Q Fever Rabies Rubella Salmonellosis Shigellosis Syphilis Tetanus Tularemia Typhoid Fever Vibrio parahaemolyticus Vibrio vulnificus West Nile Yellow Fever
Report Within One Business Day
Hepatitis B Mumps Streptococcal disease invasive, Group A Toxic Shock Syndrome Tuberculosis
Report Within Five Business Days
AIDS Chancroid Chlamydia trachomatis Ehrlichiosis Gonorrhea Granuloma inguinale Hepatitis C Histoplasmosis HIV infection Lead poisoning	Legionellosis Lyme disease Lymphogranuloma venereum Malaria Rabies, post exposure Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Streptococcus pneumoniae Toxoplasmosis Influenza